Unfair trade

Unfair Trade, published by the Adam Smith Institute, argues that for all its good intentions, Fairtrade is not fair. It can distort local markets, leaving other farmers even worse off; it is an inefficient way of helping the poor; and most importantly it does little to aid economic development, focusing instead on sustaining farmers in their current state. The report details the range of alternatives available to ethical consumers.

For more on this topic see Half a cheer for fair trade, an Institute of Economic Affairs publication co-authored by Linda Whetstone.