Fairtrade+and+Organic+Products

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**__Introduction__**
Organic and Fairtrade products are an aspect of ethical consumerism. Ethical Consumerism relates to personal consumption choices that relate to a range of ethical issues (Langen, 2012). Carrier and Luetchford (2012) show that ethical consumerism has caught the attention of both European and American markets. Organic and Fairtrade produce has become a popular trend and has been described as a social phenomenon (Carrier and Luetchford, 2012). Consumers are becoming more socially and environmentally aware, justifying the popularity of Organic and Fairtrade produce.

**__Organic Products__**
The organic produce market is going to boom and demand for products offers great potential for food producers as organic is becoming mainstream (Light, 1996). Light (1996) has shown that in 1996 the organic food market became mainstream, and had started to grow in popularity. The following timeline identifies the history and development of organic produce.



**__Benefits of Organic Products__**
There are various benefits to organic products, for all stakeholders, including the companies that manufacture and distribute the products, the consumers and the farmers who grow the organic ingredients. The World Bank (2005) state that a benefit for farmers is that it can improve their income. Companies will pay a higher premium for organic produce, compared to non-organic. This price increase is passed on to the manufacturer and to the consumer, so in turn the farmers can benefit as they will receive a higher price for what they are selling.

Furthermore, there is a benefit of the management of natural resources (The World Bank, 2005), which can benefit the environment in various ways (Vital, 2013). This is dependent on the chemicals and pesticides that are used in non-organic production. There is a clear benefit for the soil when a more natural process is used (Vital, 2013). Furthermore, Lindstrom (2010) has identified that farming organically benefits the environment by improving soil and water quality. Therefore, it s clear that organic farming benefits the environment as it does not vary the same negative effects of using chemicals and pesticides.

The benefit for the consumer lies with the fact that many individuals claim that eating and buying organic produce can help to promote lifelong health and happiness (Vital, 2013). This is because; the consumer is not putting chemicals and pesticides in their bodies. However, this a highly contested issues, as it has been identified that there are little benefits to eating organically (BBC News, 2012)

**__Disadvantages of Organic Products__**
As previously mentioned, the health benefits of organic foods are highly contested. BBC News (2012) has reported that research has been undertaken by Stanford University that has identified that organic food will not make you healthier, however it does reduce the contact you have with pesticides. The research compared individuals that ate organically, with those who do not, looking at variables such as levels or nutrients, bacteria, fungus and pesticides in various foods (BBC News, 2012). The evidence that organic foods are more beneficial was describes as weak, suggesting there is not a clear link between eating organically and health benefits (BBC News, 2012).

Another disadvantage of organic produce is that it is more costly to consumers. The below images illustrate the price differences, between organic and non-organic produce. (Sainsburys, 2014).

The above images illustrate that organic foods are more expensive for the consumer, than conventional foods. This is a massive disadvantage for consumers, as there seems to be little health benefits for paying a premium price. Baourakis (2004) undertook a studying identifying consumer’s opinions towards the price of organic foods. This highlighted that 31.8% of consumers declared organic foods as expensive (Baourakis, 2004). Furthermore, 45-64 year olds stated that organic foods are much more expensive in their opinion. This has highlighted that the consumer opinion of organic foods is that is more expensive that conventional foods, illustrating this as a key disadvantage.

**__Organic Case Studies__**
Organic produce does not only include food and drink. It includes a plethora of produce, including beauty products, materials that are used to make clothing, to minerals and vitamins. Lea (2009) shows that you can buy a range of organic products, including food, office supplies and eco-friendly fashion.

Green and Black’s (2014a) state that in 1991 Craig Sams, the founder of Whole Earth, was sent a sample of organic cocoa beans, and a chocolate bar that had been made from the organic beans. Both Sams and his wife were impressed by the quality and great taste of the chocolate. In turn, Green and Blacks was formed (Green and Blacks, 2014a). The company state that it has always been an organic brand, and only use organic ingredients. The company has developed and grown since its start up, taking 95% share of the organic sector and has been deemed to be the UK fastest growing chocolate brand (Green and Black’s, 2009). This has shown that products can form an identity and brand from acting ethically and using organic ingredients, benefiting the company as a whole. Dahlen, et al, (2010) confirm this notion by stating that the company achieved year on year growth of 69% by building a brand around ethical and organic practises leading to differentiation. This has been reflected in the fact that Green and Black’s now distribute over 40 organic products, ranging from chocolate bars to ice cream to hot beverages (Green and Blacks, 2014b).

Ethical fashion companies have become a recent trend in the fashion industry. There is an expanding list of retailers and brands that are offering fashion-forwards and glamorous organic clothing (Magnussen, 2008). An example of this is Komodo, an ethical clothing label. Komodo are pioneers in ethical fashion, focusing on the use of organic materials in the garments that they produce (Komodo, 2014). They use only organic materials in the manufacturing of their ethical clothing, that has a greater aim of aiding the fashion industry into becoming more eco-friendly. They source organic cotton, hemp and linen to manufacturing their goods (Komodo, 2014).

Falk (2012) describes organic beauty as becoming the main growth segment in the industry. Furthermore, there has been a shift in consumer awareness or organic beauty products, as this has been reflected in the demand for these products (Falk, 2012). Origins is a company that has cashed in on the current demand for organic skin care products. Origins is a company that provides a solution to using natural skincare products. Origins (2014a) claim that their products are powered by nature and proven by science. To make their products they use potent plants and organic ingredients. The portfolio ranges from skincare, bath and beauty products to make up (Origins, 2014a). To confirm their use of organic ingredients all are tested to ensure they are natural and certified as organic. The company is owned by Estee Lauder. Estee Lauder (2013) state that the company reviews over 100 ingredients every year, to ensure their organic nature is aligned with company values. Estee Lauder (2013) have shown that organic beauty product can be success, highlighting that there is a clear demand for the products, as Origins is sold in nearly 30 countries.

**__Contemporary relevance to the business world__**
The above graph shows the quantity of new food products that have been launched featuring an organic claim. It is clear to see that within Europe, Germany are introducing higher amount of organic products. However it is important to note that the UK is launching the least amount of organic orientated products. A trend can be identified in the UK. There is a clear decline from 2010/11 to 2011/12. This shows contemporary relevance to the business world as the UK introducing the little new organic products. This suggests that the issue is becoming less of a concern for UK companies. Mercer (2012) suggests that the UK market is changing and demand for organic produce has weakened. However, the European organic market, as a whole, is increasing. It can be seen in graph above that France and Germany are launching more organic products year on year (Mercer, 2012.) This has highlighted a new trend in the UK, the demand for organic produce has decreased.

Duckett (2013) has undertaken research that looks into the purchasing habits of consumers in relation to green shopping. The new trend for the amount of individuals that purchase organic foods is as follows. 8% of consumers purchased organic products all of the time, 43% purchased organically sometimes, 3% purchase organic items rarely, and 15% never purchased organic products (Duckett, 2013). This shows that a higher proportion of consumers purchase organically sometimes, than any other option. This highlights that there is still a demand for organic produce, however, less consumers are purchasing organically all of time. This supports that demand is lower, as identified by Mercer (2012).

(Pensworth, 2014a) states that the organic market, in relation to the contemporary world, has changed in recent years. Pensworth is the UK’s leading milk and dairy suppliers, who deliver to over 100,000 doorsteps weekly, as well as supplying milk and dairy products to the retail market (Pensworth, 2014b). Pensworth employees participated in a telephone interview, so more knowledge of current organic market could be taken into considering when looking at the contemporary business world. Pensworth (2014a) claim that the organic milk market is tough, and has seen a recent decline due to the premium price that consumers have to pay. However, it is clear that there is still a following in the organic market. Pensworth (2014a) have suggested that organic products are more niche today, than ever before.

From this knowledge provided by Pensworth, various tends have been identified. This niche market has expanded into more areas, including restaurants, wine and organic fruit and vegetable boxes.

The Portobello Organic Kitchen is an example of a new trend in organic produce, showing its relevance to the current business environment. The Portobello Organic Kitchen (2014) purchase the majority of their ingredients from Portobello Market, ensuring that all produce is locally sourced and organic.

Organic wines have been making their way onto supermarket shelves in recently. Atkins (2013) states that not all retailers have a wide selection, and Asda and Co-op do not sell any at all. However, Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer’s are stocking a selection of premium organic wines. Waitrose is leading the supermarkets towards this current trend with a list of 57 organic wines (Atkins, 2013). This demonstrates how the organic market is relevant to the current business environment, as organic wines are a new premium product that has been introduced to maintain developments in the organic market.

Another new trend in the organic market is fruit and vegetable boxes that are delivered to your door. Abel and Cole (2014) are a company that specialise in providing organic foods that promote a healthy well being. This takes the form of fruit and vegetable boxes that are delivered (Abel and Cole, 2014). Blackmore (2013) states that organic veg box schemes have entered the market providing organic enthusiast an alternative to shopping in supermarkets, and there are indications that it is a success. This has shown a development in the organic market, highlighting its relevance to the business environment.

**__Fairtrade Products__**
Carlo (2011) defines Fairtrade as a partnership in trading that is based on transparency, respect that seeks to create greater equity in international trade. One of the main aims of Fairtrade is to contribute to sustainable development by providing and offering better trading conditions (DeCarlo, 2011).

__**Disadvantages**__
Fairtrade does have some disadvantages, and this has become a political debate in recent years. Activists suggest that fairtrade may not be as fair as it appears.

Firstly, when a farmer engages in a fairtrade co-operative, it means that they are dependent on one crop and one single buyer, which can be a clear disadvantage as their bargaining power can be reduced (Ruben, 2008). Griffiths (2011) states further political and economic drawbacks that can be associated with fairtrade. Fairtrade concentrates on rich farmers, providing them with better working conditions, however, this does not apply to poorer farmers who are not in the position to jo in a co-operative (Griffiths, 2011). This suggests that fairtrade harms farmers who are not in a partnership. It is important to note that a fee needs to be paid in order to be fairtrade certified. The price increase that farmers are given once they are fairtrade certified may only cover the costs they have already incurred (Griffiths, 2011). This shows that there may not be a cost advantage to farmers in becoming fairtrade certified. It has been identified that the richer farmers are the ones who are able to afford the cost implications, proving that this is a disadvantage to poorer farmers. Furthermore, Griffiths (2011) shows that charitable donations that reach third world countries can be used to cover the cost of fairtrade conformity and certification. There may be a greater need where these donations can be spent within the third world, highlighting a key disadvantage to the current fairtrade market.

__**Contemporary relevance to the business world**__
When looking at how fairtrade is relevance to the contemporary business environment, it is important to look locally.

Bath Spa’s Student Union is dedicated to providing fairtrade and ethically sourced products. Bath Spa Student Union (2014) have been awarded Fairtrade status as the sell fairtrade food and clothing in the SU shop, as well as, the hot drinks that are served in the bar. This has shown that fairtrade has a relevance to the business environment because it affects us on a local basis. The university is engaging in fairtrade activities on a day-to-day basis.



2014 has marked 20 years since the fairtrade movement started. Dearden (2014) has stated that in order to stay relevant and a new trend within the business world, it must regain one of its founding goals and create more actions towards challenging corporate power. Fairtrade is campaigning in a time where powerful corporations operate. So, Dearden (2014) has asked how successfully fairtrade challenged corporate power.

Various events throughout the past 20 years can give an indication into how successful the fairtrade movement has been. Firstly, Fairtrade has provided breakthroughs with large corporations, such as Cadbury. Cadbury switched to fairtrade for their UK Dairy Milk Product (Dearden, 2014). Dearden (2014) describes the opportunities of breakthrough that fairtrade has provided, such as, the US standards were raised in the attempt to redefine fairtrade. Furthermore, there have been student protests in Mexico, promoting fairtrade and attacking corporate power.

However, Dearden (2014) describes various issues with the fairtrade movement that hasn’t impacted corporate power. Corporate control over our food systems and the world as a whole has generally grown over the last 20 years when fairtrade has been operating (Dearden, 2014). Furthermore, Dearden (2014) have shown that companies who have aimed to get a fairtrade status, may have only seen it as a cynical public relations exercise. That has been seen in the case of Nestle. Nestle managed to achieve 1 product as fairtrade certified out of thousands. They kept the same business model. This has undermined the impact that fairtrade intended.

This has shown that fairtrade may need to improve its standards to stay relevant in the business world, in order to make the impacts and improvements that it intended.

=Cost for Businesses Implementing Organic Practices (Additional Content - Tim Baker)= There are a number of businesses which are well established that have always operated in sourcing and selling organic products. However, there are an equal number of businesses that have been following alternative business models that are now looking to switch to organic products. For this business there may be measurable changes on their finances when changing to organic products. These financial changes are usually formed of one of three key components, Direct Costs, Opportunity Costs or One off Costs. By understanding these costs and it is possible to draw the most accurate conclusion on if changing to organic products may be beneficial financially. It is worth noting that the information listed below is aimed at organic products however many of the ideas remain true for Fair Trade products.

Direct costs, as the name suggests, are costs which a business will have to pay to purchase organic products to sell. Alternatively for a company which farms organic produce it maybe the cost of natural fertilisers.
 * Direct Costs when Changing to Organic Products**

Commonly direct costs organic products are considered to be greater than that of non-organic alternatives. As a result it is common for an organic product distributor to pass the majority of the costs on to the consumer; however this can have a negative effect on sales, leading to an opportunity cost.

The opportunity cost for changing to organic products is of the greatest importance out of all of the cost types according to the UK government (Gov.uk, 2013).
 * Opportunity Costs when Changing to Organic Products**

An opportunity cost is “the difference between choosing one strategy over another” (Henderson, N/A). For example if a distributer changes to more expensive organic produce, which results in sales falling by 20% there opportunity costs is the lost income from that 20%.

Therefore, as already identified the increase direct costs often results in higher prices for the end consumer. This is why many supermarkets still offer both organic and non-organic produce as any business must realise they will likely incur opportunity costs by using only organic products. Some companies do however use only organic produce as a marketing strategy and in these cases it is considered that the opportunity cost by positioning themselves as specialist outweighs the opportunity cost of not doing so.

The prior mentioned increases direct cost also come from opportunity costs at the production part of the supply chain. By not using chemical fertilisers there will typically be less produce yielded, and as a result there will be an opportunity cost incurred.

Finally for companies which decide to implement organic over non-organic there maybe initial costs to change strategy. Fixed costs therefore may include modifications to equipment used for handling organic products, retraining staff and updating marketing material to reflect the changes. Additionally there are costs to be certified organic, which is something that must be considered. These costs vary to the type of organic certification and therefore if there are multiple certifications required this cost may become more substantial. (End of additional content)
 * One Off Costs**

__Conclusion__
To conclude, it is clear that both organic and fairtrade products are relevant to the contemporary business world, as both still have demand. However, this wiki has highlighted the need for more clarification and guidelines when labeling products fairtrade or organic. There has been a decrease in the sales of organic products, and various economic and political disadvantages have been explained throughout this wiki. The issues surrounding these products will be always be contested, keeping a relevant and contemporary topic.

__**References**__
Abel and Cole. (2014). //Fantastic Food.// Available: http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/the-really-important-stuff. Last accessed 20th March 2014. Atkins, S. (2013). //Wine Review: Organic Wine.// Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/9971925/Wine-review-Organic-wine.html. Last accessed 20th Feb 2014 Baourakis, G. (2004). //Marketing Trends for Organic Food in the 21st Century//. Singapore: World Scientific. Bath Spa Students' Union. (2014). //Being a Sustainable & Ethical Union.// Available: http://www.bathspasu.co.uk/about/sustainableethicalunion/. Last accessed 20th March 2014. BBC News. (2012). //Organic food 'not any healthier'.// Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19465692. Last accessed 20th March 2014. Blackmore, N. (2013). //Are Organic Veg Boxes Worth the Money?.// Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/household-bills/10260573/Are-organic-veg-boxes-worth-the-money.html. Last accessed 20th March 2014. Carrier, J.G, Luetchford, P. (2012). //Ethical Consumption: Social Value and Economic Practice//. Oxford: Berghahn Book. Dahlen, M., Lange, F., Smith, T. (2010). //Marketing Communications: A Brand Narrative Approach//. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons,. Dearden, N. (2014). //Fairtrade at 20: much achieved, but much more needs to be done.// Available: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2014/feb/24/fairtrade-20-much-achieved-much-to-be-done. Last accessed 20th March 2014. DeCarlo, J (2011). //Fair Trade and How It Works//. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Duckett, J. (2014). //The Green Consumer-UK-March 2014.// Available: http://academic.mintel.com/display/679810/. Last accessed 19th March 2014. Fairtrade. (2008). //The FAIRTRADE Mark Core standards and practice behind Fairtrade Labelling .// Available: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/includes/documents/cm_docs/2008/F/1_Five%20Key%20Fairtrade%20Benefits.pdf. Last accessed 20th March 2014. Falk, J (2012). Going Au Natural. Global Cosmetic Industry, 180(9),6. Green & Black’s. //Marketing. 7th// September 2011. Available from: Business Source Premier, Ipswich. Last Accessed 19th March 2014 Green and Blacks. (2014a). //An Organic Beginning.// Available: http://www.greenandblacks.co.uk/about-us. Last accessed 19th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Green and Blacks. (2014b). //Our Line Up.// Available: http://www.greenandblacks.co.uk/our-range. Last accessed 19th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Griffiths, P. (2011). Ethical objections to Fairtrade. //Journal of Business Ethics//. 3 (1). <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Grocer. (2013). //Nespresso pledges to source 10% Fairtrade coffee.//Available: espresso pledges to source 10% Fairtrade coffee. Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Hunt, J (2013). //Fair Trade//. Kent: Raintree. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Komodo. (2014). //About Us.// Available: http://www.komodo.co.uk/about-us/. Last accessed 19th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Langen, N (2012). //Ethics in Consumer Choice: An Empirical Analysis based on the Example of Coffee//. Germany: Springer. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lea, L. (2009) Shop Green! //Black Enterprise. 40(2). 32// <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Light, E. (1996). Organic Take Root. //NZ Business//. 0 (0), 0. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lindstrom, M.J. (2010). //organic products benefit envirnoment//. New Hampshire: ABC-CLIO. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Magnussen, K. (2008). //Ethical fashion goes glam - 17th November 2008.// Available: http://academic.mintel.com/display/427355/?highlight. Last accessed 19th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mercer, J. (2012). //The changing nature of European organic retailing - 30th July 2012.// Available: http://academic.mintel.com/display/631410/?highlight. Last accessed 19th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Origins. (2014a). //Our Missions.// Available: http://www.origins.co.uk/customer_service/aboutus.tmpl?cm_sp=Gnav-_-CustomerService-_-OriginsStories#/Mission. Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Origins. (2014b). //Our Purity.// Available: http://www.origins.co.uk/customer_service/aboutus.tmpl?cm_sp=Gnav-_-CustomerService-_-OriginsStories#/Purity. Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Pensworth (2014b) Interview with Managing Director of Pensworth, Bath, 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Pensworth. (2014a). //More Than Just Milk.// Available: http://www.pensworth.co.uk/. Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Portobello Organic Kitchen. (2014). //An Organic Restaurant in Notting Hill.// Available: http://www.portobelloorganickitchen.co.uk/. Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ruben, R (2008). //The Impact of Fair Trade//. Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Pub. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sainsburys. (2014). //Sainsburys.// Available: http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/index.jsp?GLOBAL_DATA._searchType=0. Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Starbucks. (2014). //Responsibly Grown Coffee.// Available: http://www.starbucks.co.uk/responsibility/sourcing/coffee. Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. . (2013). //Defining Prestige Beauty: 2013 Annual Report.// Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Organic Institute. (2014). //History Of The Organic Movement.//Available: http://theorganicsinstitute.com/organic/history-of-the-organic-movement/. Last accessed 19th March 2014 <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Vital, E.L. (2013). //Benefits Of Organic Foods//. Michigan: Clinton Gilkie. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Welch, D. (2011). //Fairtrade beans do not mean a cup of coffee is entirely ethical.// Available: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/green-living-blog/2011/feb/28/coffee-chains-ethical. Last accessed 20th March 2014. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">World Bank (2005). //Agriculture Investment Sourcebook: Agriculture and Rural Development//. Washington DC: World Bank Publications.

__**Additional content to the wiki**__
The wiki has identified the advantages and disadvantages of Fairtrade and organic products, as well as the currently appearing trends and how they have an effect on corporate behaviour. The following will investigate ethical consumption in more detail, as it is the original driver for those trends.

Purchasing and consumption alone have been identified as not bringing enough personal satisfaction anymore (Schor, 2010, and Frank, 1999, 2000 cited Blowfield, 2013: 277). Non-economic measures of well-being and happiness are coming more and more to the fore as they take precedence over simple financial wealth (Blowfield, 2013: 277). There are a number of measures of prosperity which become increasingly important as an alternative to GDP, which is the commonly used measure of economic growth. Examples are:

- //OECD Better Life Index:// a tool for comparing key factors of well-being amongst OECD countries; - //UK Happiness Index//: assessing national well-being since 2010; - //Genuine Progress Indicator//: illustrating the ‘true cost’ of economic growth. (Source: Blowfield, 2013: 278)

The quest for happiness results in more sustainable consumption, with attention to distribution and fairness. As a result, consumer buying behaviour is changing towards more ethical purchasing. Apart from Fairtrade products and organic agriculture, responsible tourism and certified timber are other examples for goods on offer to ethical consumers. There are even organisations such as //Ethical Consumer// and //GoodGuide//, which give advice on how to consume, in particular to ‘first-time’ ethical customers (Blowfield, 2013: 282).

1.1 Ethical consumption
Consumption itself is problematic in the context of sustainability. Some authors argue that consumption cannot be ethical if it does not give relief to the suffering of others (Singer, 1972 cited Blowfield, 2013: 280). From this point of view, people living in the richer Western countries would be required to redistribute parts of their wealth in order to help (unknown) others living in poorer parts of the world.

On the contrary, this puts the consumer in the role of an arbiter and exposes them to unfairness themselves: they have to make decision between helping someone in a developing country far away, and denying a far-travelled product one was intending to buy because of its high carbon and water footprint. In his arguments, Blowfield (2013: 280-282) goes even so far to say that ethical labels and brands are nothing but ‘blunt’ tools to quantify the complexness of sustainable consumption; he suggests different approaches instead, of which some will now be explained in more detail.

1.2 Sustainable consumption through consumer choice editing
A customer’s buying decision has been found not to be a rational and conscious choice; it is rather heavily influenced by the external environment (Blowfield, 2013: 279). For example, supermarkets are trying to sell certain foods through promotions and by placing them at eye level. This influential power of businesses over consumers is omnipresent. As our decisions are made usually quick, emotional and contextual, choice editing can lead to significant changes in behaviour on a large scale. As an example, retailers could circumvent our selection process by not offering unsustainably produces goods anymore. Nestle, Cadbury and Mars all have removed ingredients from their main product lines which didn’t meet ethical standards (Blowfield, 2013: 282-283). This denial of individual choice can be seen as an unwarranted intrusion, but it also takes the pressure away from customers to make sustainable or unsustainable decisions as arbiters, as discussed earlier.

1.3 Sustainable consumption through consumer pressure
Changing one’s behaviour can happen in the direction of business to consumer, as explained above. Yet there have been found cases when the desired effect actually backfired on companies, in particular with regards to Fairtrade and ethically sourced products.

When introducing Fairtrade goods on their shelves in the late 1990s, the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s was praised for this movement towards sustainability. It was shortly followed by the multiple retail sector in many countries of the world. Some years later, however, the public started to criticise the supermarket for not including //more// ethically sourced product lines (Blowfield, 2013: 110).

Another example is given by the confectionery manufacturer Cadbury. Having successfully resisted the external pressure of managing social and environmental impacts more actively for a long time, the company faced a scandal in 1999: forced labour and child labour were found to be involved in the company’s cacao production in Ghana. Being hit by strong criticism from media and the public, Cadbury decided to make big changes to their supply chain. Not only were labour issues tackled, the firm also bought Green & Black’s, the organic chocolate brand introduced in the main wiki. Yet another issue arose from the fact that Green & Black’s usage of Fairtrade chocolate contradicted with Cadbury’s own chocolate offerings. As a result, they soon decided to overhaul their entire supply chain and launched the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership in 2008. Only one year later, the top selling Dairy Milk bar would be made of Fairtrade-certified cacao beans, with more lines having been added since (Blowfield, 2013: 111).

These cases show how companies became pressured to bringing ethical and Fairtrade produce to the core of their business.

__**Reference**__
Blowfield, M. (2013). //Business and Sustainability.// Oxford. Oxford University Press.

=References for Cost of Changing= Gov.uk. (2013, 06 13). //Converting to Organic Farming//. Retrieved 05 10, 2014, from Gov.UK: https://www.gov.uk/converting-to-organic-farming

Henderson. (N/A). //Opportunity Cost//. Retrieved 05 10, 2014, from Library of Economics: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/OpportunityCost.html <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: 0px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1853px; width: 1px;">__ Disadvantages __ <span style="display: block; font-size: 12pt; height: 1px; left: 0px; line-height: 115%; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1853px; width: 1px;">Fairtrade does have some disadvantages, and this has become a political debate in recent years. Activists suggest that fairtrade may not be as fair as it appears. <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: 0px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1853px; width: 1px;"> Firstly, when a farmer engages in a fairtrade co-operative, it means that they are dependent on one crop and one single buyer, which can be a clear disadvantage as their bargaining power can be reduced ( <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ruben, 2008). Griffiths (200?) states further political and economic drawbacks that can be associated with fairtrade. Fairtrade concentrates on rich farmers, providing them with better working conditions, however, this does not apply to poorer farmers who are not in the position to join a co-operative (Griffiths, 200?). This suggests that fairtrade harms farmers who are not in partnership. It is important to note that a fee needs to be paid in order to be fairtrade certified. The price increase that farmers are given once they are fairtrade certified may only cover the costs they have already incurred (Griffiths, 200?). This shows that there may not be a cost advantage to farmers in becoming fairtrade certified. It has been identified that the richer farmers are the ones who are able to afford the cost implications, proving that this is a disadvantage to poorer farmers. Furthermore, Griffiths (200?) shows that charitable donations that reach third world countries can be used to cover the cost of fairtrade conformity and certification. There may be a greater need where these donations can be spend within the third world, highlighting a key disadvantage to the current fairtra