Those who take action are the ones who change the world.
In a late capitalist society there’s more power in a shopping basket than in a voting booth. It’s the consumers who decide how and what is being produced. Only, they need to be made aware of this.
The problem in a shopping basket.
Increasingly, consumers wish to trade sustainably, but Fairtrade is far from being the only one appealing to consumers. From the biodynamic farmer in a home knitted sweater to multinational giants with huge budgets, more and more people and companies clamour for attention concerning the good cause.
The consumers may choose organic, biodynamic, free range, without perfume, complimentary with blessings from Dyrenes Beskyttelse or the Hjerteforeningen – to name but a few options.
So how to get noticed? Or rather how to change attitude into action? We sign protests but would rather not march in the streets. We worry about the climate but are loath to give up our car or our flight travels. To each other we confirm how difficult it is to abstain and renounce. But we admire those who act.
The latter point is important. We admire those who act. Activists walk the talk and practice what they preach. They chain themselves to trees once the bulldozers arrive. They risk limb and life fighting for the rain forest, democracy, or human rights. These are the ones fighting for sustainability and justice in the world.
But what about us? Are we merely hypocrites? Or might we join the good fight without being swept away by a water cannon? The answer is affirmative. One shopping basket at a time. That’s the insight on which Fairtrade’s communication platform is built. In short, Fairtrade is all about how activist you may become with a shopping trolley. How much you might affect the development of the world – one shopping trip at a time. It’s about shopping in accordance with your values. Using themes such as ”I have a banana, and I’m not afraid to use it”, the campaign quickly won the hearts and minds of the industry as well as the consumers all in the battle of turning opinions into actions.
Select results.
- A 17% turnover progress for Fairtrade in 2016.
- A 2016 net growth of Fairtrade products by 19,35%.
- By early 2016 Fairtrade had 8,000 followers on Facebook. By the end of the year, the number had risen to 22,000. An increase of 175%.
Do you want to know more?
Contact Christina Tønnesen
Phone: +45 21 70 95 89
Mail: ct@mensch.dk