Sainsbury’s Now World’s Largest Fairtrade Retailer

1,200 bananas sold every minute gives supermarket top spot in ethical trading

Sainsbury’s claims that it is now the world's largest retailer of Fairtrade products with almost one in every four pounds spent on Fairtrade in the UK is spent at a Sainsbury's store.

Sainsbury's Customer Director, Gwyn Burr said, "We sell over 650 million bananas a year, or 1,200 a minute, which means a total Fairtrade premium to banana suppliers of £3.9m per year benefiting small farmers, farm workers and farming communities. As we add to the number of Fairtrade products we stock, we continue to make an increased impact on suppliers from poorer countries".

She added, "Despite the current focus on price and great value, shoppers clearly want to know that producers are getting a fair deal too. We believe that Fairtrade is a great way to provide customers with the best of both worlds - ethically sourced products at affordable prices."

Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation said, "Sainsbury's sells more Fairtrade products than any other retailer in the world and this commitment is helping make Fairtrade part of the nation's everyday shopping habits. They have shown inspirational leadership in the UK and right across Europe with the conversions of their own label bananas, ground and roast coffee, own-label tea, and own label sugar to Fairtrade.

"We look forward to working with Sainsbury's in 2010 and through the next decade so that together we can tip the balance of trade in favour of disadvantaged producers".

February 16, 2010