Weak pound to hit prices of Fairtrade

BRITISH shoppers may no longer be able to afford Fairtrade goods after this week’s fall of sterling to an all-time low against the US dollar.

Tim Aldred, of the Fairtrade Foundation, said a weak pound would mean “additional exchange-rate costs” for imports of food such as coffee and bananas from Africa and the Caribbean.

He said it is “more bad news for Fairtrade farmers and consumers”.

He added: “While Fairtrade farmers are protected from the worst effects through commitments to Fairtrade Minimum Price, they will still be hit by the overall market trend.”