Is the "Fair Trade" stamp all it's made out to be?
Hi Everybody,
There are a whole host of 'stamps of approval' floating around on the market these days like "Fair Trade" (one of the most recent).
I can remember when these things just started out encouraging consumers in the West to buy Columbian coffee, or sugar from somewhere.
Although this may releive the conscience of some shoppers who think they are helping third world countries and animal rights, it's important to know that these stamps of approval are nothing more than registered trade marks, in other words, if you produce something to a minimum standard you pay these registered companies to use their seal of approval. It's nothing more than the seal of approval like the one used by a certain whisky company, you know the one that's "By Appointment to HM the Queen". Nothing is by appointment, to get that endorsement, for example the company has to supply the queen the product free for five years before they can use the seal.
So remember with these seals of approval, all that glistens is not gold, except for the seal of approvement companies who sell the right for third parties to use their trade mark.
The following article is worth having a glance at.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 97854.htmlBest regards.