A group of UK supermarkets is in discussions with Fairtrade to collectively purchase ethically sourced products including bananas, coffee, and cocoa from producers in developing nations.
This initiative follows the Competition Market Authority's (CMA) assurance that such collaboration would not result in fines for anti-competition law breaches. Sainsbury's, Tesco, and the Co-op, which is already involved in a cocoa pilot, are among the retailers considering participation.
The Co-op aims to extend its involvement to coffee and bananas, highlighting the initiative's potential to address global food system challenges and the disproportionate impact of climate change and commodity price fluctuations on small-scale farmers and workers. The Fairtrade Foundation emphasizes the critical role of farming in deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss, underlining the necessity of supply chain collaboration for sustainability. The Shared ImPACT pilot represents a commitment between farmers, retailers, and Fairtrade to foster a resilient food sector and effectuate tangible change through cooperative efforts.
Source: cityam.com