Club member Wendy has done a lot of research on behalf of the EEVCR group of SI Grange to make it easier to choose the Fair Trade option when purchasing flowers.
A growing proportion of cut flowers are produced and exported by countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania in Africa and Colombia and Ecuador in South America. The producing farms have typically employed a largely female workforce of poor, less well educated and vulnerable workers. Producers had a reputation for poor working conditions, including low pay , overcrowded housing and the unprotected use of dangerous chemicals . Although conditions have improved in recent years there still remain many challenges.
Fairtrade certified farms must ensure safe working conditions for their employees. Producers are guaranteed a minimum price and a premium 10 percent allowing farmers to invest in education healthcare and other social benefits. Recently the International Justice Mission has indicated that roses in India have been produced by bonded slavery ( http://www.ijmuk.org/slavery ) . It is possible that these roses are exclusively for the home market but to be sure it’s safer to consider buying only certified Fairtrade flowers.
The Fairtrade organisation is not currently set up to accommodate the independent floristry sector as a consequence nearly all Fairtrade flowers are sold as part of a certified bouquet of fixed composition through the larger retail companies.
Listed below are some of the major companies stocking Fairtrade bouquets.
TESCO
One bouquet on line, roses. No information given about in store.
MARKS AND SPENCER
Five bouquets on line, sometimes available in store.
CO-OP
Bouquet on line. Sometimes in store.
WAITROSE
One bouquet on line. Not generally stocked in store.
SAINSBURY
Two bouquets (roses) on line. No information given re in store
ASDA
No product on line. Sometimes in store bouquets
ALDI
Bunches of roses in all stores £3
BOOTHS
No Fairtrade products , but Kenyan roses and carnations sourced from ethically approved flowers
ON LINE COMPANIES
ARENA FLOWERS – Six Fairtrade bouquets
FLYING FLOWERS – Two Fairtrade bouquets……….reasonably priced.
INTERFLORA – Sixteen Fairtrade bouquets, very good range of flowers.
EFLORIST – One Fairtrade bouquet…..limited choice!
MOONPIG – Eleven Fairtrade bouquets, good mix of colours.
There are more available if search on internet.
Further information and case studies are available on the Fairtrade website.
Don’t forget to use Easyfundraising if buying on line and raise money for our projects https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/sigos/
SI Grange over Sands Nov 2015