Comments on: Greenwashing while badmouthing fair trade

By: Siel

Siel — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 04:29:59 +0000

Gernot — Interesting idea. I think right now, TFUSA gives discount both for % of FT coffee as well as for volume. Maybe they should stop the volume discount thing…

Jasmin — In general, I try to avoid them, except when I can’t (like I’m caffeine deprived in an airport) in which case I ask for their fair trade product. Of course Starbucks often says no, then calls it a “breakdown in service.”

By: james

james — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 17:29:06 +0000

http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/csrannualreport.asp

Check out Starbuck’s Annual Corp Social Responsiblity report for 2005…

By: bay area fair trade dude

bay area fair trade dude — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 00:25:12 +0000

a lot of these companies realize that hardcore activists will usually avoid them all together so, therefore, they don’t represent part of their customer demographic-yet another excuse not to get behind Fair Trade products. Remember, with Fair Trade Certified goods, you’re supporting the sale of that certified good, not necessarily the company…

but a nice essay today Siel. good job :-)

By: Jasmin

Jasmin — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 23:14:40 +0000

I wonder if we should boycott them entirely (which may prove there isn’t a demand for fair-trade goods) or support these products? Big conundrum.

By: Gernot

Gernot — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 23:02:50 +0000

I’ve had a few contacts with big companies and they always tell you how green they’ve already become, but if you ask them for details, for numbers, the only thing you get is silence…

One thing I’d like to see implemented as a special standard for big companies is a special fee, on a diminishing scale, starting very high, to make it costlier to enter the Fairtrade-market (but what’s costly for a big company like NestlÃ©…)