October is Fair Trade Month! When a product is certified fair trade, it has met rigorous standards of ethics and manufacturing. Fair trade products are good for the people who make them, good for the environment, and good for you!
These are exciting times in the fair trade world. Where once fair trade was available only at specialty grocery stores, you can now find fair trade certified products at your local shop down the street. Let’s check out a few ways you can buy fair trade on your weekly grocery run.
Coffee and Tea
Coffee is one of the first areas where fair trade gained prominence. Switching your morning beverage for one with fair trade certification is an easy way to change the world every day! I was excited to see that Publix’s Greenwise store brand offers its own fair trade coffee. You can also find fair trade varieties with Numi Tea, Newman’s Own Coffee, Starbucks, Honest Tea, and Choice Organics. Be sure to check for the fair trade label before you buy; not all varieties of each brand are certified fair trade.
Breakfast Items
I had no idea there were so many fair trade breakfast options! Brands such as Annie’s, Cascadian Farm, and Nature’s Path offer cereal, granola bars, and breakfast pastries with fair trade ingredients.
Produce
I haven’t been able to track down fair trade fruits and vegetables at regular grocery stores in my area, but I’ve heard they are out there. Bananas and avocados are good items to check. One reader reported finding fair trade bananas at her local Super Target. (Publix, the store where I shot my Instagram posts, has major work to do in this area.)
Baking
I had a blast finding fair trade items in the baking aisle. My local Publix carries fair trade baking cocoa from Equal Exchange. Some stores carry fair trade coconut oil and shortening. Wholesome! offers a terrific selection of fair trade sweeteners, including cane sugar, agave, brown sugar, and powdered sugar. (Note to Aldi shoppers: in addition to their coffee, Aldi also has fair trade sugar!).
Treats
There are a number of fair trade chocolate options for when you need a treat — Alter Eco, Endangered Species, Bark Thins, Divine Chocolate, and Theo among many others. And of course, don’t forget my favorite ice cream brand, Ben & Jerry’s!
Personal Care
Fair trade beauty can be hard to find at regular stores, but I noticed that my local store carried Dr. Bronner’s fair trade soaps and Andalou skin care featuring fair trade ingredients. Some stores also carry Badger products.
These are just a few items I found on my last trip to the store, but there are countless fair trade certified items available for stocking your pantry! As fair trade grows, be on the lookout for certified grains, chocolate chips, and more.
Of course every grocery store is different, so your mileage may vary. I would LOVE to hear what fair trade products your local store carries. Share your finds in the comments and help others find fair trade!
Like this post? Don’t miss my post on Sustainable Shopping at Target! Note: I’ve included handy-dandy links to these grocery items on Amazon.com. If you buy a product through these links, this site will receive commission to help support our work here at BeyondtheFried.com.
