UK stores promote Fairtrade as ethical products take centre stage
To coincide with the launch of Fairtrade Fortnight, which began today, many of the UK's major retailers have announced significant developments in selling ethical product.

Marks & Spencer extended its Fairtrade cotton products and announced a move to Fairtrade-only tea and coffee, while Co-op is extending its range of wines and is running further promotions on Fairtrade Mark products.

Sainsbury's switched 75 per cent of its rose bouquets to Fairtrade in January and new Fairtrade rosé and white wines from South Africa are going on sale. The grocer will also sell the first baby food to carry the Fairtrade Mark. Sainsbury's in-store promotions include triple Nectar card points on Fairtrade products.

Waitrose has launched Fairtrade loose bananas from the Caribbean to complement its Fairtrade bagged bananas, while Fairtrade-certified nuts will be sold in UK supermarkets for the first time, including Tesco and Co-op. Tesco is also running in-store tastings and a range of promotions on Fairtrade products.

Fairtrade rose bouquets from Kenya are available online from John Lewis and Asda is running special promotions on Fairtrade fruit during March. The retailer will also offer Fairtrade lychees, the first Fairtrade product from Mozambique.

In-store promotions are also expected in Booths, Budgens, Spar, Somerfield and Morrisons, says the Fairtrade Foundation. More than 25,000 Fairtrade Fortnight posters have been distributed to independent and wholefood stores.

Fairtrade footballs are going on sale at Oxfam shops across the UK and the 2006 official Sports Relief T-shirts will be made with Fairtrade-certified cotton from West Africa. The T-shirts are being sold through Sainsbury's from May.

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