Co-op UK and Fairtrade: strong partners for 30+ years
For more than 30 years, Co-op have championed the Fairtrade movement in the UK. Their Fairtrade commitment plays a key role in positioning them as one of the UK's market leaders in ethical sourcing, committed to doing the right thing, and encouraging consumers to choose their wide range of Fairtrade products. Their newly launched 'Owned by You, Right by You' brand campaign included this sentiment in a specific above the line campaign which ran during Fairtrade Fortnight in 2024.
The partnership
Co-op have supported Fairtrade from the very beginning, championing the movement since 1994.
For the past three decades, Co-op have had many Fairtrade milestones – including being the first retailer to sell ethically traded Cafe Direct coffee, which became one of the world's first certified products in 1994, and partnering with Tradecraft to launch the world's first ever Fairtrade wine in 2004. Now, all of Co-op’s own brand cocoa, sugar, coffee, tea, bananas, roses, and South-African wines are Fairtrade. They also sell Fairtrade olive oil, tomatoes, cotton, and herbs and spices in their stores – delivering impact across the world.
Campaigning together for Fairtrade Fortnight
During Fairtrade Fortnight 2024 and the 30th year of partnering with Fairtrade, Co-op took the opportunity to showcase what can be done to celebrate and promote Fairtrade. The Fairtrade Foundation's Fairtrade Fortnight campaign in the UK was to show that however big or small the action, everyone has the power to Be the Change. Just a few small changes in the products you put in your basket can make a huge change to the lives of the people who produce them. Here’s how Co-op got involved in the campaign and celebrated our joint 30th anniversary with a multi-channel campaign.
- From ‘Coffee with a Cause’ to ‘Chocolate for Change’, Co-op encouraged customers to ‘Choose a Fairer Future’ by rebranding several core Fairtrade products with bold, eye-catching pack design and producer information included on pack. Throughout stores, there were dedicated sections of aisles of Fairtrade products as well as aisle ends, shelf talkers, bunting and welcome signs all celebrating 30 years of Fairtrade.
- Co-op launched an above-the-line campaign during Fairtrade Fortnight, including billboards in London and Manchester. Featuring the FAIRTRADE Mark, a giant banana and bold messaging on Fairtrade, the billboards outlined how supporting Fairtrade is not only the right thing to do, but it’s also what their members want. Quality products, community support and ethical practices are the most important factors to their members, and therefore Co-op’s Fairtrade commitment is a key part of their cooperative business model.
- Social media played a big role in Co-op’s integrated campaign for Fairtrade Fortnight. Across their channels, Co-op shared their “right thing to do” messaging on Fairtrade including content that tapped into current trends such as “this and yap” TikToks of Fairtrade coffee and Instagram reels of Fairtrade wine glasses revealing messages. Co-op’s social content was informal and playful yet delivered a serious message on Fairtrade and received a positive response from comments online.
- Across their member communications, Co-op featured a range of Fairtrade discounts, quizzes, and ways to get involved in Fairtrade Fortnight. Their member pack encouraged people to ask their Member of Parliament to sign the Be the Change pledge. The Co-op member app featured an interactive game to win Fairtrade deals, and their member newsletter promoted the latest Fairtrade discounts and powerful impact stories.
Co-op recently moved all roses sourced globally to be 100 percent Fairtrade and also launched a white Fairtrade sparkling wine. To showcase their range of Fairtrade wine and flowers, Co-op hosted a Bubbles and Blooms event for influencers. During the event, guests enjoyed a wine tasting with Co-op’s wine buyer and a flower arranging workshop with Fairtrade flower supplier, Flamingo. Feedback from guests included:
- “Learning what buying Fairtrade means to farmers around the world was really amazing… it’s a truly radical act if you choose a Fairtrade product”
- “Thank you for a lovely evening and teaching me more about Fairtrade and how it can change people's lives around the world”
- “Such a lovely evening celebrating 30 years of Fairtrade! I learnt so much about Fairtrade and how Co-op UK support it”
Farmers and workers at the centre
At the heart of our partnership with Co-op are the farmers and workers. Co-op is committed to standing up for fairness and uniting with farmers and consumers to do the right thing and deliver meaningful change.
‘We see that working and having a co-operative that supports us, we can boost much more. And a [Fairtrade] certified co-operative that has further support behind it, so we are supported twice.’ Raryane Rodrigues Silva a Coffee Farmer at CAFESUL which supplies to Co-op
