Supermarket tops in Fairtrade awards

Friday, 11 June 2010

IT’S official – Pak’N Save has the best range of Fairtrade products in Whakatane. The supermarket was runner-up in the Fairtrade Supermarket Awards, held in conjunction with last month’s Fairtrade Fortnight, having gained the thumbs up from shoppers. Consumers all around New Zealand were asked to nominate the supermarkets that stocked the most Fairtrade products and were most supportive of fair trade. The store’s proactive efforts to make Fairtrade-certified products accessible and affordable and listening to customers helped secure its nomination.

Well known Whakatane environmental campaigner and Fairtrade advocate Pip Wonacott said Pak’N Save was her favourite supermarket. “I always promote Pak’N Save because its prices are better than anywhere else for the same product,” she said. The store stocks three lines of Fairtrade coffee, Whittaker’s creamy milk chocolate, Cadbury’s dairy milk chocolate and bananas. All products carry the “Certified Fairtrade” symbol. 
Fairtrade provides farmers and producers in developing countries with a fair and stable price for their produce, irrespective of unstable world prices. It also provides these farmers and producers with an additional sum of money for investment in social, economic and environment development to help them grow their businesses and invest in their communities by building roads, schools and hospitals.

Whakatane store owner Andrew Soutar said Pak’N Save had responded to consumer demand for Fairtrade. “Fairtrade is an indication of changing shopper behaviour and Pak’N Save Whakatane has quickly responded to it. We are delighted to receive the recognition as further reinforcement that we are meeting the needs and expectations of our customers.”

Ms Wonacott said by buying Fairtrade products, consumers could be assured that the people in foreign countries who had produced those products were getting a fair price and a living wage.  In addition to Pak’N Save, Fairtrade products are available from Michelle’s Health and Nutrition on Boon Street, Countdown supermarket on Commerce Street, New World Whakatane on Kakahoroa Drive and the Fresh Market on Lovelock Street. Fairtrade coffee is also served at six Eastern Bay cafes – Vendor, Tamars, The Fig, Columbus, Ohope’s Beach Haven and Shaz’s Coffee Fix van.