Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash.com
Before you tuck into that heart-shaped box of chocolates this Valentine’s Day and get those endorphins flowing, you might want to know the story behind those tempting morsels. Where did the cacao beans come from? Did children harvest them? Were the plants organic and sustainably grown? Were the laborers fairly paid? Is it even real chocolate or technically “candy,” consisting mostly of sugar and additives? Consider buying fair trade chocolate for your sweetheart this month. After learning more about it, you just might make it a regular - and delicious - habit!
What is Fair Trade and Why is it Important?
Fair trade is a global movement that promotes partnerships between companies in developed countries and producers in developing countries, with a commitment towards local sustainability, fair wages and terms of trade, and a hard ban on exploitative slave labor, especially among children. Farmers and workers are paid a higher price for goods and services, therefore, consumers pay a little bit more for products that are fairly traded.
The goal of fair trade is to export products such as chocolate, coffee, nuts, produce, and other commodities from farmers and producers that provide fair, safe, and healthy, non-hazardous working conditions. Joining the fair trade union cuts out the middleman and benefits the laborer, who gets a guaranteed fair price for their product. The profits go back into the community, which is an investment in better housing, healthcare, and schools. For example, fair trade profits might supply equipment like a water pump that provides fresh, clean drinking water for a village.
In UNICEF’s 2010 documentary, The Dark Side of Chocolate, it was estimated that half a million children were trafficked across borders and forced into child labor on cacao farms along the Ivory Coast, which produces 40% of the world’s supply of chocolate. According to the International Labour Organization, one-fifth of African children work as laborers, mostly in the agriculture sector. Over 1.8 million children work on cocoa farms in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. This exploitative practice robs them of their childhood by preventing them from attending school, playing, and receiving proper nutrition.
How to Identify Fair Trade Chocolate
To buy fair trade chocolate (and other products), look for the most famous fair trade logo, the International Fairtrade Certification Mark (right).
This registered certification label is used in over 50 countries on over 27,000 products that have been sourced from producers in developing countries. It guarantees the product has been produced according to international fair trade standards. Another familiar logo is the Fair Trade Certified Seal (below, left), which represents thousands of products from 45 countries.
Giant chocolatier Cadbury has received criticism because it uses a “Cocoa Life” stamp on their products (below, right) and claims to be in partnership with Fairtrade, but they are no longer Fairtrade certified and, therefore, cannot carry the Fairtrade stamp. This ambiguity purposely leaves consumers confused. Look for fair trade stamps on products at neighborhood grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s, World Market, and Whole Foods.
Brands of Fair Trade Chocolate
Divine Chocolate, Equal Exchange, and Endangered Species Chocolate are highly rated chocolate companies that sell slave-free chocolate and give proceeds back to the farming communities. Huge and well-known chocolate companies like Hershey’s, M & M Mars, Kraft (including Cadbury, Nabisco, Toblerone), Lindt and Sprungli (including Ghiradelli), Unilever (including Breyer’s ice cream), Godiva, and others are known for using slave-produced chocolate. And although large companies like Nestlé might make one organic or slave-free product to help market their image, all their other products come from enslaved laborers. For the 12 best rated brands of fair trade chocolate, CLICK HERE.
Why Fair Trade Chocolate is Better for You and the Planet
Conventionally grown, non-organic chocolate is one of the highest pesticide using crops, but fair trade supports sustainability by preventing rainforest destruction, preserving ecosystems and soil health, and limiting the use of harsh agrochemicals.
Fair trade chocolate takes a more artisanal approach to making products in small batches, is less processed, uses fewer additives like wax and colorings, and has more complex, bittersweet flavors due to its high cocoa content. In fact, the percentage of cocoa in a fair trade chocolate bar is usually listed right on the wrapper, something you won’t see on a Hershey bar. It also connects you to other cultures and creates partnerships across borders. For these reasons, the quality is higher and more expensive, but most chocoholics also find it more satisfying and may need less for their chocolate fix! The anti-inflammatory, prebiotic properties are healthy, too.
Chocolate is so much more enjoyable when you can eat it with a clear conscience, knowing it is fairly traded, ethically produced without slave labor, making a difference in the lives of children, sustaining local economies, and safe for our planet. Best of all, you don’t have to sacrifice your high standards for taste. It’s a win-win all around. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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