Only a few days ago I read an article in the newspaper about Fairtrade. Since then I have thought a lot about it.

I’m wondering if we’re all the same. If we go shopping do we try to buy the cheapest things we can find? But is that really as good as it seems at first? How much will the producer get if we buy a shirt which costs only 5 euros? Nothing!

The situation is worse than I even knew. In less developed countries which are often exploited for cheap labor, people from young to old work long hours every day and get paid really tiny amounts of money. Often less than one dollar per day. The working conditions are bad and people there are treated disrespectfully. And this is the reason why people started the organization ‘Fairtrade’. Workers which work on Fairtrade plantations are treated respectfully and they earn enough money to survive. The organization pays every single man or woman who takes part in the production and transportation of their goods a fair amount of money.  

There are people which care and fight for fair trade, and I think that more people need to support this idea. Sometimes, it is better to pay more for the goods you buy and have in mind that the producer of this product did an excellent job and has been rewarded for it. I, for example, try to buy as many ‘Fairtrade products’ as possible to support this idea. Fairtrade has a broad range of products to choose from. You can find products such as fruit, chocolate, coffee, vegetables and even clothes. I hope this entry makes you think about this topic and maybe even support ‘Fairtrade’ too.