Coffee: Better quality of life thanks to Fairtrade
Small-scale farmers are responsible for more than two thirds of global coffee cultivation. However, they are often unable to sell their harvests at a profit.
Fairly traded coffee
Together with us, Fairtrade Max Havelaar is committed to ensuring that coffee is traded under fair conditions, resulting in a lasting improvement in the working and living conditions of small-scale farmers in the southern hemisphere.
All the coffee for our Qualité & Prix own-label brand is now fairly traded. However, with the Fairtrade Max Havelaar quality seal, it has not become more expensive for our customers: we bear the additional costs incurred. Overall, the percentage of fairtrade coffee in our own-label brands is 91 percent (excl. Prix Garantie), as a percentage of sales.
Baseline Code of the Global Coffee Platform
The Baseline Code of the Global Coffee Platform (formerly the Common Code for the Coffee Community Association, 4C) sets out requirements for ecologically, socially and economically sustainable coffee production. Coffee producers verified according to this Baseline Code work to constantly improve conditions in cultivation and processing.
There is a general ban on child labour or forced labour, the use of critical pesticides or the felling of rainforests. In addition, merchants and processors finance regular training for the producers. For our Prix Garantie products and branded articles, we insist on the implementation of the requirements of the Baseline Code of the Global Coffee Platform.