Halo of Fairtrade casts a shadow on poverty

Telegraph.co.uk

"Fairtrade purports to work within the market economy but its rise has been largely based on marketing subsidies and public-sector procurement," says Tom Clougherty, the policy director of the Adam Smith Institute.

Fairtrade fails to tackle poverty, report says

Despite huge pressures on the public purse, local councils are squandering large sums to become Fairtrade towns and cities, to hector people into buying only Fairtrade. Meanwhile, the Fairtrade Foundation has received £1.5 million from the Department for International Development. This week sees the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, when charities, politicians and teachers will promote the scheme as an undisputed good. With all this effort, what a pity Fairtrade does not work.

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