NORTH Ayrshire Fair Trade campaigners took action on Saturday to challenge Sainsbury’s decision to abandon the Fairtrade mark on some of its own-brand tea in favour of of its own scheme.
The campaigners who are members of the North Ayrshire Fair Trade Zone committee handed letters into Sainsbury’s North Ayrshire stores in Irvine and Saltcoats raising their objections to this controversial move by the supermarket giant.
Arthur West, of the Fair Trade Zone committee, said: “We understand that it is the intention of Sainsbury’s to replace the Fairtrade mark on its Red Label and selected other teas with its own fairly traded version.
“Our group are very concerned that under the Sainsbury’s scheme tea suppliers who come under the new label will have to apply to a UK based board for their funding.
“We are also worried that standards for the new label will be controlled by Sainsbury’s and not set independently. Over 100, 000 people have signed online petitions asking for Sainsbury’s not to abandon the Fair Trade label for their tea.
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