Fairtrade Fortnight takes place from March 4th - 17th. This year’s initiative aims to encourage consumers to shop sustainably and call for action on climate change, with a special focus on flowers. ALDI is proud to stock Fairtrade products and back this initiative.
Choosing Fairtrade helps support better wages and fairer working conditions for these workers. Climate change is bringing growing challenges to those farmers that work in the flower industry. Many of our Fairtrade products are grown and produced in climate vulnerable countries and these communities are already facing droughts, crop disease, heatwaves and depleting harvests. Choosing Fairtrade helps to enable these communities to bounce back from these disasters and become more resilient to them in future.
One of the key areas of focus for this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight is flowers. ALDI is the only supermarket retailer in Ireland committed to selling Fairtrade flowers all year round with the Rose Bouquet €5.99 a firm favourite among shoppers. Grown and produced in both Kenya and Ethiopia, this bouquet is a simple way to treat yourself or surprise your loved one while helping farmers on the ground in these countries to secure a sustainable future.
Buying products with the Fairtrade premiums empowers workers and reduces financial pressure. The most popular uses of the additional income is going towards education and community projects such as water, health and school infrastructure.
Mother’s Day is taking place during Fairtrade Fortnight on the 10th of March, why not treat the mother figure in your life to the Fairtrade Rose Bouquet €5.99 or pick up the Moser Roth Chocolate Assortment €1.85 made with Fairtrade chocolate!
This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight also coincides with International Women’s Day (March 8th). Women play a central role in the flower industry. It is estimated that approximately 50% of all workers on flower farms are women. This number rises to as high as 85% in Ethiopia. Across the year, Fairtrade supports female workers by challenging gender-based norms, implementing non-discriminatory working standards, training women and funding local women-led initiatives.
ALDI knows that small everyday actions can make a big difference when it comes to protecting the climate, championing workers’ rights and establishing new partnerships with small producers all over the world. That’s why ALDI is committed to supporting and promoting Fairtrade and encouraging customers to shop sustainably.
Speaking about ALDI’s support of Fairtrade Fortnight, Peter Gaynor, Executive Director at Fairtrade Ireland, said: “ALDI Ireland is the only retailer who offers Fairtrade flowers all year-round, supporting producers and workers in Ethiopia, many of whom are women, facing challenges like limited education, overcrowded housing, and low wages. ALDI's commitment makes a real difference, and we urge other retailers to follow suit, giving consumers the choice to support Fairtrade and benefit more growers and the planet.”
John Curtin, Group Buying Director, ALDI Ireland, said: “At ALDI, we make a concerted effort to work alongside small producers in developing countries across the world. With climate change and sustainability front of mind for so many of us right now, we are proud to be the only major supermarket that stock Fairtrade products all year-round across our 161 stores nationwide and give our customers the chance to shop ethically and responsibly without having to sacrifice on value.”
Check out the below Fairtrade items available in 161 ALDI stores nationwide.
• Moser Roth Chocolate Assortment €1.85
• ALDI’s Fairtrade Rose Bouquet’s €5.99
For more information, please visit www.aldi.ie/fairtrade
Slán go fóill.