Fairtrade | How fair Germany is

Nine out of ten consumers in Germany are familiar with Fairtrade. Yet there are certainly cultural differences between East and West. In East Germany, people place greater emphasis on sustainable "consumption," for example, using leftover roasts the next day as spiced meat or solyanka. In the West, people place greater emphasis on sustainable "purchasing" and, to paraphrase Erich Fromm, let "having enough" be their only option. Market researcher Robert Kecskes has found that fair trade consumers in the East are more focused on "local life," meaning sustainability and justice in their immediate environment. West German Fairtrade buyers, meanwhile, prefer to look to the wider world. However, such differences should not be overstated; in absolute terms, the difference between East and West is only a few percentage points.

The same applies to the cultural differences between urban and rural areas. "In Germany, there is generally a high level of consumer interest in fair trade," confirms Robert Kecskes of Yougov. The international market research institute, on behalf of Fairtrade Germany, asked the question: "How fair is Germany?" Further answers are provided by the online " Fair Atlas ."

The Fairtrade board sees itself on a successful path. Fairtrade products such as coffee, bananas, and roses are no longer niche products, Benjamin Drösel reported this week at the annual press conference in Cologne. Sales to discounters and supermarkets, in particular, have increased significantly. Overall, sales of Fairtrade products in Germany rose by 13 percent to €2.9 billion in 2024. This was a new record, although inflation contributed to this. Sales also grew strongly – at 5 percent, the strongest growth in years. Optimism is expressed for 2025.

As a result, the market share of Fairtrade coffee in Germany is already at 5.3 percent, and that of cocoa at around 21 percent. 16 percent of bananas sold in this country carry the Fairtrade seal, and for roses, the figure is as high as 44.5 percent. Fairtrade offers its farmers and partners in developing and emerging countries a premium, paid in addition to the standard market price. This premium is intended to enable investments in the future.

At the same time, the international organization sees itself as a local advisor. Producers there, including cooperatives, are concerned about the bureaucratic burden imposed on them by German and European supply chain laws. Together with business partners and government donors, Fairtrade is therefore offering training courses to ensure that coffee, bananas, and roses can continue to be sold on the German market. This includes a fund to finance the additional costs. A sensitive topic that is likely to concern stakeholders around the world on World Fair Trade Day.

Products bearing the Fairtrade seal account for approximately 80 percent of all fair trade sales nationwide. In comparison, world shops are small players, with sales likely well under €100 million last year. These specialty stores, formerly known as "Third World Shops," are considered the original source of fair trade. The first shops opened in the early 1970s. In several countries, young people in particular protested against the growing injustice in global trade. A new movement had emerged. Today, there are 900 world shops in Germany, and tens of thousands of people volunteer their time to support them.

The first import organizations were also founded in the mid-1970s. GEPA, El Puente, and Globo are still among the largest fair trade companies today.

But even in fair trade, enough wasn't enough. Producers demanded larger sales volumes. Gradually, Fairtrade and other fair trade companies began offering their products in organic stores, health food stores, and conventional food retailers. For several years now, fair trade products have also been found on the shelves of discount stores. This remains controversial within the community to this day. Ultimately, the world shops lost their unique selling point.

This Saturday, however, not only World Fair Trade Day is being celebrated, but also World Shop Day. Under the motto "Chocolate for the climate? I'll buy from you!", the World Shop movement is drawing attention to the negative consequences of the climate crisis for cocoa cultivation.

information about the cocoa campaign of the World Shop umbrella organization at: www.weltladen.de/kampagne