Fairtrade Fortnight Challenge

It's just over a week until Fairtrade Fortnight (February 25th - March 9th 2008) begins. During Fairtrade Fortnight we are asked not to "shop quietly" but instead to put pressure on stores to help make Fairtrade products more available! It is suggested that if we can't find Fairtrade products in a shop perhaps we could ask the staff why they don't have any and if they are thinking of getting any in. "Stock it" postcards and other resources can be ordered from the Fairtrade Foundation.

The Fairtrade Fortnight Challenge is a challenge to eat only Fairtrade food and drink (and ethically sourced when Fairtrade is not available e.g. local and organic) during the Fortnight. To help, check out the guide to Fairtrade retailers. The dual purpose of this challenge is to raise awareness of the variety of Fairtrade food available and explore the sources of the food we eat. There are three suggested levels to the Challenge:

• Gold - Challenge yourself to only eat Fairtrade and ethically sourced products for the whole of Fairtrade Fortnight (and hopefully beyond)
• Silver - Try a week, or a set number of days
• Bronze - Make a decision to try one new Fairtrade product or switch something you'd normally buy to a Fairtrade or locally sourced brand