Ethical brands begin to make their mark

The global fairtrade movement has been brewing since the late 1980s when Mexican farmers rallied against the collapse of coffee prices and formed a cooperative. The number of companies, shops and restaurants making such products available is rising and year-on-year sales are growing by 40 per cent, according to Fairtrade Mark Ireland.

Still, the total spend on fairtrade products remains small, growing from €3 million in 2003 to just over €5 million in ...