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Cadbury Fairtrade Marketing

Cadbury withdraws from Fairtrade cocoa commitment

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By John Glenday, Reporter

November 28, 2016 | 2 min read

Cadbury has left a bad taste in the mouth of Fairtrade activists after it announced it will renege on a 2009 commitment to source Fairtrade cocoa for its leading Dairy Milk brand in favour of its own ‘sustainability programme’.

As a result of the change Dairy Milk will no longer be able to market itself as Fairtrade chocolate but it will (confusingly) still be allowed to display the Fairtrade logo on the reverse as part of a deal struck with the foundation - which will continue to monitor its work.

Dairy Milk will instead wear Mondolez’s ‘Cocoa Life’ logo on the front to champion its ethical credentials.

David Marshall, founder of the Meaningful Chocolate Company, a small British Fairtrade-only producer, said: "It feels like a classic Cadbury’s fudge because they will have dropped Fairtrade ingredients but hope to get the Fairtrade logo on their bars of chocolate. This action will confuse the consumer and many now believe this may put the Fairtrade scheme at risk.”

Cadbury’s owner Mondelēz International pulled out with the blessing of the Fairtrade Foundation, which ensures farmers are paid the going rate for their produce. It said that the decision would ‘empower’ poor communities.

Cadbury's move goes against the grain of the wider industry, with Mars recently strengthening its own Fairtrade policy.

Cadbury Fairtrade Marketing

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