Umazon Blog

Stroll around your nearby branch of Asda, and you’re observing the miracle of global market forces. One can buy almost anything at a very low price. Whether it’s herbs from Cambodia or tobacco from Brazil - it’s procurable all year round. This is by far the greatest time in the history of humanity to be a consumer in the west. This has come about from just in time stock control, economies of scale, strong competitive forces, and perhaps most importantly, the fact that most goods are located, and often made, in second and third world nations.

The final point is rather important, and very contentious. While consumers are purchasing food, drink, clothing and other items produced from the poorest countries at low costs, workers and business organisations in these producing countries are oftentimes ripped off, and haven’t any true sustainable business model since they’re at the end of a very long string of middle-men who order what they manufacture, how much, and how often. This long chain of middle men all get their pay too - meaning there’s not a great deal of revenue left for the actual producer.

All the same, there is help for such impoverished individuals and businesses. Fairtrade is a cause that seeks to empower these end-producing businesses in the poorer nations of the planet. It looks to get rid of the middle men, and pay the end-producer a just price for a product in a much more primary way. You may have seen Fairtrade products in your local supermarket. You’ll sometimes find they’re a little bit more expensive, but by buying such ethical products - for instance fair trade baby clothes - you will be happy to know the manufacturer is working in a sustainable business environment that doesn’t just pay them fairly through a much more direct revenue flow, but it also grants them to put this extra money into their company through higher profits, which really makes a difference to these poorest areas of the planet.