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Our Work

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT 2023: THE ENDANGERED AISLE

The Fairtrade Foundation is known for ensuring farmers get fair pay and upholding fair production practices. However, wider goals like helping farmers become more resilient to climate change           are often overlooked.

For the second year running, Alfred partnered with Fairtrade to build visibility and understanding of the foundation’s role in supporting farmers to address the climate crisis and safeguard the future of our food. The ultimate aim being to encourage consumers to choose Fairtrade and appreciate the extent of the Foundation’s work.

SETTING THE SCENE

We commissioned two new sets of research to truly understand the size of the issue. Firstly, a Commodities Vulnerability Assessment to recognise which UK agricultural commodities could be most at risk from climate change. The assessment revealed that supply chains for bananas, coffee, and cocoa originate from countries vulnerable to these threats. Secondly, consumer research which uncovered that 60% of British people would be ‘devastated’ if their favourite commodities like chocolate were no longer available to buy in the UK.

We combined these pieces of research to show the scale of the problem alongside the solution: small switches don’t cost more and can lead to big change, which is how The Endangered Aisle campaign was born.

EVERYTHING MUST NOT GO

To launch the campaign, we created a pop-up retail concept highlighting the urgent need to protect our favourite foods from climate change and give a fair deal to farmers.

The Endangered Aisle was brought to life with stark empty shelves showcasing what the future could look like if we don’t act now, with key report findings reinforcing the items at risk of becoming ‘endangered’.

The other side of the aisle showed the solution; shelves filled full of possibilities from coffee to peanut butter and kombucha. The immersive event brought retailers together like Lidl, Co-Op, Waitrose and Sainsburys to showcase the diverse range of Fairtrade products on the market and reiterate that together, we can make a difference.

A robust media strategy allowed activity to build ahead of the event and within the space we hosted press, influencers, consumers, retailers, MPs and charity partners to continue discussions on what can be done to tackle this crisis. Fairtrade Patrons Nick Hewer, Melissa Hemsley, Adjoa Andoah, Allegra McEvedy and a Ugandan coffee farmer donated their time to further drive campaign awareness – from public appearances, TV interviews and social media content.

Our PR and social strategy, creative and campaign positioning acted as the umbrella platform for all Fairtrade activity and communications during this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight.

SIGNS OF SUCCESS

We’re continuing the movement towards encouraging more conscious choices and are proud to say our campaign reached almost a fifth of the UK population (17%). Additionally, 60% of people now feel more positively towards Fairtrade and how it supports farmers.
In terms of press coverage, we generated 72 pieces of quality PR coverage for the Endangered Aisle, including 14 broadcast and 13 nationals. Actress Adjoa Andoh was interviewed by PA Showbiz which was syndicated to 177 outlets, and the entire campaign generated over 1,300 pieces of coverage.

Some say actions speak louder than words, but the good news is that we have both. Over three-quarters of event attendees made a positive pledge for the future – a promise to do better and be more mindful about where products and ingredients come from, whilst an incredible 74% of those who were aware of Fairtrade Fortnight said they went on to buy a Fairtrade product.

#ChooseFairtrade

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