Fair Trade

There is a strong Fair Trade movement in Aberdeen.  In 2004 Aberdeen became the first Scottish City to obtain Fair Trade status and we are now working to increase fair trade within the city and to support the goal of Scotland becoming one of the first Fairtrade Nations.

What is Fairtrade?

The Fairtrade mark is a garantee that producers in developing countries have been paid a fair price for their goods, a minimum price is garanteed as well as a Fairtrade premium, which is used to invest in the local community.  Producers always have a democratic say in the decision-making (women as well as men), the farm workers have the right to join unions and receive a decent wage, and the 'Dirty Dozen' of chemicals are forbidden on certified Fairtrade farms, which protects the workers and the environment.

How to become more involved in Fair Trade

There are various ways you can find out more about Fair Trade in Aberdeen and get involved.  The list below is not exhaustive and if we have not answered your question, please contact us and we will try our best to help you.

Where can I buy Fairtrade goods in Aberdeen?

Aberdeen has one dedicated Fair Trade shop, "Fairtrade Aberdeen", which can be found at 101 George Street, opposite John Lewis, it sells a variety of gifts, cards, clothing, textiles and food and you can guarantee that everything that they stock has been fairly traded.  For a list of other stockists in the area take a look at the out & about page of the Aberdeenfairtrade website.

How can I become involved in the movement locally?

There are a number of ways you can get involved at a local level.  If you would like to become a volunteer at the Fair Trade Aberdeen Shop, then please contact the manager on 01224-645650.  To get involved in the Aberdeen Fairtrade City Action Group, or the Granite City Discussion Group, just click on the links.

Remember, next time you go shopping and you can't find the Fairtrade product that you're looking for in your local shop, speak to the manager and ask them to stock it - it's the best way to let local shop keepers know that there is a demand for Fairtrade products.

What support do we offer to local teachers to introduce Fair Trade into the curriculum?

The Montgomery Development Education Centre has a wide variety of teaching packs and resources , covering all age groups, available for teachers to borrow free of charge.  We also run a number of CPD's throughout the year, and are always happy to help with any queries that you might have.

How do I find out more information about Fair Trade?

A great place to start is the Fairtrade Foundation Website, which has a wealth of information and lots of links to other websites that should be able to answer most of your questions.

Fair Trade in Schools

Pupils in Aberdeen city schools have been busy promoting Fair Trade in weird and wonderful ways. Dyce Academy, Newhills Primary, Torry Academy and Aberdeen Grammar School pupils shared their ideas at RGU in Fairtrade Fortnight. To see what they've been doing click on this link .