The UK government promotes the fair trade idea representing a view that the rules of fair trade ensure a fair deal to producers from the poorest countries and help the purchasers actually improve the quality of life among the poorest farmers of the world. The UK government helps the organisations promoting fair trade by supporting the Fairtrade Foundation and participating in the EU programmes.

In 2005 our Embassy organised a conference „Fair Trade – Fair Play”. Over one hundred people took part in the conference, The event has been organised in cooperation with the Institute of Developing Countries, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies Warsaw University, Polish Society of African Studies and the Fair Trade Association “The Third World and Us”.

Experts from the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and Germany also participated in the Conference. During three sessions the participants debated whether it was possible to help Africa through trade and whether the reforms of the World Trade Organisation or the EU Common Agricultural Policy can change the situation on the continent.

Between the sessions the visitors could see a photographic exhibition  “The Faces of Africa”, listen to a concert by Motema Africa  (The heart of Africa) group, buy Fair Trade products, and receive some free fair trade publications.

Trade is an important driving force of economic growth, and the process of purchase both influences many people and depends on them. Most goods reach customers through middle men, processing companies and sales people. Therefore everyone who decides to purchase anything, at the same time makes a series of other decisions connected with goods and cash flows, often without even knowing it.

If trade is organised according to fair trading rules, then the price offered to the producer makes it possible for him to live a dignified life, invest in his business or realise his ideas.

However, the purchaser often learns that the retail price of a product is disproportionately high in comparison to what has been paid to the producer. This is often the case with agricultural products imported from the poorest countries of the world.

Customers are more and more aware whether the trade is governed by fair trading rules. They also learn that through  conscious selection of products and suppliers  they may influence the way in which the market is organised. Recently, the United Kingdom has become the leader in sales of the Fairtrade labelled goods. They include products such as wine, beer, cut flowers and decorative plants, sports balls, fresh fruit, fruit juice, cocoa, sugar, honey, etc.