Report by Fair Trade Advocacy Office and Banana Link highlights Unfair Trading Practices in banana sector

A new report by Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO) and Banana Link in the frame of the Make Fruit Fair project, “Banana value chains in Europe and the consequences of Unfair Trading Practices” (a media briefing can be found here), was launched on 10 November 2015 in Brussels.

The report demonstrates the culpability of European supermarkets, which contribute to the dire situation by engaging in Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) and lays out the consequences on small farmers and workers in the banana industry of Unfair Trading Practices applied by European supermarkets.

The banana supply chain has long been a symbol of injustices in the global trade market. For decades a few multinational companies have dominated the banana market, negatively affecting the lives of workers and farmers. Since 2001 banana wholesale prices have fallen by almost 25%, whilst retailers have increased their share of the banana value to around 40%.

“The imbalance of power in the banana supply chain and Unfair Trading Practices of supermarkets come at a high price”, said Jacqui Mackay, UK National Coordinator of Make Fruit Fair! From Banana Link.

“There is now a window of opportunity in the European Union policy process to tackle Unfair Trading Practices in the food supply chains”, said Sergi Corbalán, Executive Director of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office FTAO. The European Commission already acknowledged the prevalence of UTPs and has in the meantime decide to forgo the opportunity for European action

Read the full press release here