Fairtrade

SUPPORTING FAIRER PAY AND BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS FOR FARMERS AND WORKERS

Lidl GB sells over 100 different Fairtrade certified products throughout the year, from bananas originating from Colombia, to cocoa for our chocolate grown in Cote d’Ivoire. For 6 years running, we’ve sold more own-brand Fairtrade cocoa than any other retailer in the UK.

Fairtrade promotes better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fairer buying practices for both farmers and workers. The FAIRTRADE Mark is an independent ethical label that is displayed on products to show that international Fairtrade Standards have been met. Farmers and workers are paid a Fairtrade Minimum Price that covers the cost of sustainable production as well as an additional Fairtrade Premium that they invest in social or economic projects in their communities, e.g extra training or healthcare. To learn more about Fairtrade, visit the Fairtrade website.

How Lidl GB Support Fairtrade

In addition to the products we sell all year round, we proudly support specific Fairtrade campaigns such as Fairtrade Fortnight. This is an opportunity to give a voice to farmers and growers throughout the world.

Fairtrade puts a spotlight on women who work in the cocoa and coffee industries and allows them to tell their story of how Fairtrade has made a difference to their livelihoods. An example of this is through the price of cocoa, which happens to be one of the most volatile commodities in the market. Price fluctuation can cause uncertainty and a lack of financial security for many farmers. Selling their crop as Fairtrade means, should the market price drop, they will receive at least the Fairtrade Minimum Price which acts as a safety net. They are able to continue to support their families and wider community through the Fairtrade Premium, which is invested in development projects through a democratic process.

Our products

Fairtrade Flowers

Buying Lidl Fairtrade Roses means you’re making a difference. In Kenya, the Fairtrade Premium has been spent on initiatives such as childcare for the workers’ children, construction of classrooms for schools and energy saving stoves. Learn more about our range and our standards for plants and flowers here.

Fairtrade Bananas

At Lidl, Bananas carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark have been produced by small farmer organisations or plantations that meet Fairtrade social, economic and environmental standards. Click here to learn more about where we source our Fairtrade bananas from and what certification means for the farmers that grow the fruit in our stores.

Fairtrade Cocoa and Sugar

Over 120 of the products that we sell contain cocoa, representing more than 5% of our total range. Fairtrade Certified cocoa is part of Lidl’s wider commitment to source sustainable cocoa. 100% of our Deluxe Confectionery range cocoa is Fairtrade Certified. Click here for more information.

Fairtrade sugar sold in the UK comes from countries including Belize, Fiji, Guyana, Jamaica, Malawi, Mauritius, Paraguay and Swaziland. The price paid for sugar often outweighs the price of production, leaving producers at a loss and unable to support their business or lifestyle. By certifying our product as Fairtrade we are supporting producers through the Fairtrade premium that is re-invested back into their businesses and local communities.

Fairtrade Tea and Coffee

Tea can be produced on large plantations or estates and picked by employed workers, it can also be grown on small plots of land by smallholder farmers. When UK shoppers choose Fairtrade tea, producers sell more of their product on Fairtrade terms, and can work towards a more sustainable livelihood for themselves and their families. Click here to find out which countries and regions our Gold Label tea is sourced from.

Did you know that Coffee is one of the world's most traded commodities and around 125 million people worldwide depend on coffee for their livelihoods? Click here to read our coffee policy and learn how we ensure we only buy from sustainable sources.

The Fairtrade mark

The FAIRTRADE Mark stands for fairly produced and fairly traded products. This mark signifies that the product is fully traceable back to source. This means the commodity is separated from non-certified products through the supply chain, all the way from farms or plantations, to our shelves. This mark is visible on products where ‘all that can be’ Fairtrade certified in that product, is certified, for example it is visible on a range of our bananas, sugar, coffee and tea.

The white logo

This white logo indicates that the ingredient named on the tab has been sourced as Fairtrade, such as Fairtrade cocoa. This particular Mark is used across a selection of our breakfast cereals. It ultimately means that farmers and workers have more opportunities to sell their produce on Fairtrade terms and gives companies more flexibility to source Fairtrade ingredients for their products. It also ensures consumers have more options to shop sustainably.