Fancy a Guilt-Free Chocolate Fix?

By Monique Ivey

Ok… so we’re not talking calories, but for those who have a socially conscious sweet-tooth,
here are a few things you should know… While there has been an incredible 200% increase
in all retail sales of Fair Trade products since 2009, chocolate has been an absolute stand
out! Since Cadbury became Fair Trade certified just before Easter last year, ethical chocolate
purchases have surged by 1500% and beat out coffee for the top position. Now that Cadbury
and Whittakers are on side, Fair Trade has sprawled onto supermarket shelves, making it
more convenient than ever to simultaneously treat yourself and make a small but important
contribution to improving the lives of others.

However, if this wasn’t incentive enough for the average chocolate-lover, statistics show that
currently the cultivation of cocoa beans is not sustainable. The world’s entire cocoa supply
comes from within ten degrees of the equator, mainly West Africa, so not only is tending
to cocoa trees insanely time consuming (every new crop takes about five years to mature),
all farming is done in insufferably hot and unpredictable conditions. As a result, chocolate
production is an industry plagued by political instability and injustices. The average cocoa
farmer not involved with Fair Trade can expect to earn a mere 80 cents a day, which is
simply not viable. So unless you want to see the big chocolate corporations develop dirt-
cheap cocoa butter-free abominations… buy Fair Trade. To substantially improve the lives
of others globally, to ensure chocolate as a sustainable resource for the future, it just makes
sense!

Source: www.peopletree.co.uk

Source: www.etiko.com.au