Fairtrade: Passing the taste test

Fairtrade is on the crest of a wave at the moment as more people are keen to find out about the origins of the food they eat. And with so many shops and supermarkets selling Fairtrade products the range of goods is expanding all the time. Waitrose in Stev

Fairtrade is on the crest of a wave at the moment as more people are keen to find out about the origins of the food they eat.

And with so many shops and supermarkets selling Fairtrade products the range of goods is expanding all the time.

Waitrose in Stevenage donated a variety of products to staff at The Comet for us to try out, for example Cuban Fruit Passion pure orange juice and South African Fairhills white wine, and a variety of fruit and chocolate.

The whole idea of Fairtrade is not that the food tastes any better or worse, it is about helping producers receive a reasonable and just amount of money for the goods they produce.

So there was not a radical change in the taste of the food and drink, though the general consensus here at The Comet was that the Fairhills wine was not to our liking. But the chocolate was eaten with much enthusiasm.

Some people complain that Fairtrade produce is too expensive, but that is missing the point.

It is pricey because producers are not being ripped off. They are selling their goods for higher prices which are transferred to the consumer.

So next time you see Fairtrade products, don't be put off by the price. Think about how it was produced.