Coffee farmers are becoming even more impoverished, going further into debt and losing their land due to extremely low world coffee prices. Meanwhile coffee companies such as Starbucks have not lowered consumer prices but are pocketing the
difference, even taking into account the quality premiums in the specialty industry.
According to Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International, Fair Trade farmers sell only about 20% of their coffee at a Fair Trade price. The rest is sold at the world price, due to lack of demand. Demand can be created by large corporations selling Fair Trade.
Since 2000, consumers have been demanding that Starbucks offer BREWED Fair Trade coffee as well as whole bean. Many Starbucks cafes will brew a pot of Fair Trade - but only if specifically asked.
Meanwhile Fair Trade Coffee has yet to be promoted as the brewed Coffee of the Day, which is the only way to ensure real volume for Fair Trade Farmers.
Read Global Exchange's statement on Starbucks recently introduced "CAFE Program."
What you can do:
- Participate
in OCA's ongoing campaign to pressure Starbucks to offer rBGH-free
milk, ban GMOs, and offer BREWED Fair Trade Certified as Coffee of the
Day once a week.
- Download our new Starbucks flyer here
(PDF 1.6mb).
- If you are a Starbucks customer, always buy Fair Trade! Tell
the Starbucks workers and customers -- our potential allies -- about
your commitment to buy only Fair Trade, and keep asking for Fair Trade
brewed coffee.
- Gather petitions
asking Starbucks to sell Fair Trade brewed coffee.
- Starbucks will offer Fair Trade coffee only at universities
where students demand it. Let your voice be heard!
- Get connected with the Fair Trade coffee campaign moderated
listserve!
- Read more about Starbucks and Fair Trade in the
news.
History:
In 2000, a campaign by thousands of activists across the country
pressured Starbucks to carry Fair Trade coffee in all their cafes.
See press release and
detailed history for more information. As a
result, on October 4 Starbucks introduced whole bean Fair Trade
Certified coffee at over 2,300 stores, which brought the number of
Fair Trade outlets to almost 5,000 nationwide (it's currently over
7,500). This is an amazing testament to the power of grassroots Fair
Trade activism and the real concrete changes that citizens can make in
global trade system when we demand products made under fair labor
conditions. This was achieved because of the pressure of our grassroots campaign, including 84
organizations that signed an Open
Letter to Starbucks as well as 29 national demonstrations that were planned across
the country. Still, people should know that there is no guarantee that
coffee without the Fair Trade seal is not sweatshop coffee.
