Press Release
6 December 2007
Fund announced to bring more ethically produced products into UK shops
Gareth Thomas, Minister for Trade and International Development, announced
today a new £2 million fund (the
Food Retail Industry Challenge Fund), to help
increase the UK market for sustainably produced food from Africa.
The Minister was speaking today at the UK Co-operative Forum’s conference “Ethical Shopping at the Crossroads – out of the niche and into the mainstream". Announcing the funding Gareth Thomas said:
“I am pleased to announce £2 million for a new Food Retail Industry Challenge Fund - the FRICH. This fund will help bring together retailers and African farmers to increase the market for sustainably produced food.”
“By purchasing Fairtrade labelled, Organic and other certified products from developing countries, people are already making a real difference to poor farmers’ lives, but we want to go further as I don’t think we can rely on labels alone. We need to trade more with the poorest countries in Africa, and we want more of this trade to be fair and ethical. This is why we are announcing the FRICH. The FRICH is designed to help African farmers come up with innovative business ideas to compete in our globalised world. We want to see new products in our shops so that many more African farmers have fairer and more profitable trading relationships with UK shoppers.”
Gareth also challenged more British firms to join the Ethical Trading Initiative which brings together businesses, trade unions and NGOs to tackle poor working conditions in developing countries.
Gareth said:
“The ETI needs to be strengthened. Major British retailers have still not joined the initiative. Philip Green’s Arcadia is one. B&Q is another. The John Lewis Partnership is one of Britain’s most respected retailers, ETI members have a lot to learn from John Lewis. I am calling on all three companies to sign up to ETI today.”
Related Links
Notes for Editors
- The Food Retail Industry Challenge Fund (FRICH) will make £2 million available for grants for partnerships that bring retailers and African farmers together. The partnerships will be expected to match fund the value of these grants.
- In 2006, British supermarkets spent £2.7 billion pounds (£7 million per day) on importing food, clothes and toys from developing countries [Source: Action Aid]. Only a small fraction of these are Fairtrade or ethically labelled. This is why we want to look at new ways to improve all of these supply chains. We hope the FRICH will be part of this process.
- Today’s UK Co-operative Forum conference “Ethical Shopping at the Crossroads – out of the niche and into the mainstream" will explore the future of ethical consumerism and whether consumer choice can make a difference. It will consider fair trade, labour conditions, sustainability and climate change.
For further information, contact Nicolette Stoddart in the DFID press office on 020 7023 0600 or e-mail pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk or call our Public Enquiries Point on 0845 300 4100.
