Fairtrade

Products that are certified in accordance with Fairtrade standards are marked with the Fairtrade Mark. By choosing products with the  Fairtrade Mark you can be sure that:

• a fair price has been given to the producer
• a little extra has been paid to the producer groups to invest in their communities, environments or strengthening their business
• workers rights and environmental standards are being met

Fairtrade focuses mainly on products that can't be grown in sufficient quantities in and around Europe.  Therefore, Fairtrade has little impact on products produced by our farmers and it is supported by The National Farmers Union of Scotland.

What we are doing 

Dumfries and Galloway became a Fairtrade zone in October 2017 through the combined efforts of ourselves, Loch Arthur Camphill Community (our Fairtrade Employer Champion) and Fairtrade campaigners from Castle Douglas, Dumfries, Dunscore, Kirkcudbright and Wigtown.

Fairtrade supports all four of our Council Principles, which are detailed in our new Council Plan. All of the following activities help to maintain the region's Fairtrade status.

Currently we as a Council:

• purchase and use Fairtrade coffee, fruit juice, sugar and tea
• provide opportunities to order Fairtrade goods through procurement arrangements
• mark Fairtrade Fortnight in our workplaces
• help our Schools achieve Fairtrade awards
• support local Fairtrade groups
• support the regional Fairtrade group
• we are members of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum
• we have pledged our support to the International Fair Trade Charter

You can also view further information on our activities through the Dumfries and Galloway Newsletter:

• view issue 1 [PDF - 512KB]
• view issue 2 [PDF - 729KB]
• view issue 3 [PDF - 216KB]
• view issue 4 [PDF - 3MB]
• view issue 5 [PDF - 5MB]
• view issue 6 [PDF - 5MB]
• view issue 7 [PDF - 2MB]

Fairtrade aligns with several of the Sustainable Development Goals so by supporting Fairtrade we are helping to meet these global goals.

Scotland marked 10 years as a Fair Trade Nation in 2023. Five films were made to celebrate the occasion, including one in Castle Douglas.

How you can help

If you would like to support Fairtrade, you can;

• purchase Fairtrade products in our local shops
• raise awareness of Fairtrade amongst family and friends
• support your local school to become a Fairtrade school
• ask your workplace to support Fairtrade products and become a Fairtrade Workplace
• ask local businesses and organisations to support Fairtrade
• join or follow a Fairtrade group

Fairtrade groups

There are various Fairtrade groups throughout the region:

Castle Douglas Fairtrade group
Email: packpony@btinternet.com
Facebook

Dumfries Fairtrade group
Email: dumfriesfairtrade@yahoo.co.uk
Facebook
Twitter
Website

Dunscore Fairtrade group
Email: auchenage@gmail.com
Twitter
Website
Facebook

Kirkcudbright Fairtrade group
Email: rcryall59@gmail.com
Facebook

Dumfries and Galloway Fairtrade on  Facebook  and Twitter

Further information

You can find out more about Fairtrade through the following organisations:

• Fairtrade Foundation
• Scottish Fair Trade Forum