Our Fairtrade history 1992 - 2001

1992 - Cafedirect

We were the first major retailer to sell Cafedirect coffee, which became one of the first Fairtrade marked products in 1994. This marked the beginning of our longstanding commitment to Fairtrade. We now stock an expanding range of Fairtrade products. Find out about our current coffee range.     

1998 - Fairtrade Fortnight

We establish ourselves as the leading retail supporter of Fairtrade Fortnight. In-store promotional features are supplemented when we mobilsed our members by calling for voluntary membership action in-store to help raise consumer awareness of fairtrade.
        

1999 - Fairtrade products in all stores

We make a strategic decision to stock FAIRTRADE Mark products in all of our stores, even the smallest community store. This means that The Co-operative has the largest number of outlets selling FAIRTRADE Mark products.

Today, all stores stock a range of Fairtrade products including, coffee, tea, chocolate, fruits and wine. Find out about our current Fairtrade products                
                                                                                                              

2000 - 1st FAIRTRADE Mark bananas

We become the first retailer to bring FAIRTRADE Mark bananas to the UK. This move signals a breakthrough in the campaign to support small, independent producers and shows our commitment to Fairtrade. When our shoppers choose FAIRTRADE Mark Bananas they will be helping to improve the lives of many poor and marginalised producers.

Find out more about our Fairtrade bananas
       

2000 – The Co-operative  Fair Trade Divine Milk Chocolate

Another Fairtrade First -  we score a supermarket first with the launch of our own label Fairtrade Milk Chocolate, in conjunction with the Day Chocolate Company, makers of Divine. The chocolate is the first in a number of own label Fairtrade products planned by The Co-operative and the first own brand product in the UK to be awarded the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Find out more about our Fairtrade chocolate
 

2000 - Fairtrade Pledge

In partnership with The Co-operative Bank we launch the Fairtrade Pledge, which invites customers to pledge to buy one FAIRTRADE Mark product a month.
            

2000 – The Co-operative Fairtrade Roast and Ground Coffee

 
Another Supermarket first as we launch our third Co-operative Brand Fair Trade product.
Find out about our current coffee range
 

2001- The Co-operative Fairly Traded Red Wine

 
We launch the UK's first supermarket fairly traded wine - Co-operative Fair Trade Chilean Carmenere. This is another ground breaking venture for us. Because there was no internationally agreed criteria for fair trade on wine, we were able to bring the product to our shelves through partnership with Traidcraft - whose expertise in establishing fairly traded products has helped to establish a program of support and development for the producers of the wine, the Los Robles co-operative.