Fair trade product sales revenue in Germany 1993-2023

Fair trade product sales in Germany amounted to around 2.56 billion euros in 2023. This was an increase compared to the year before. Figures had increased significantly compared to earlier during the decade. This is an encouraging trend on the way to long-term sustainable goods production and consumption.

This and that

Fair trade combines sustainable goods manufacturing with fair trading conditions for producers. These conditions comprise a long list, among them fair pay and safe environments for work. Fair trade covers a variety of products. Those bought most by German consumers included coffee in first place, with over 837 million euros in revenue generated in 2023. The other top three contenders were tropical fruit (mostly bananas) and textiles. Fair trade textiles in Germany, meanwhile, generated varying revenue in recent years, but an increase was recorded in 2023, at around 196.5 million euros.

Long-term project

The most sold fair trade products in the world included flowers and plants, as well as bananas and cocoa beans. Some fair trade products, particularly in the food trade, do not grow or cannot be harvested in European countries, and become leading export goods from further regions such as Africa or South America. In this context, due to geographical distance, national and international regulations, transport, logistics, following fair trade standards is paramount. This is crucial both for working conditions at the production end and for the final result reaching the consumer in the target market. Fair trade is linked to sustainability in a variety of ways. Consumers buying fair trade products may therefore contribute positively, at least ideally. However, there might still be work to do in certain areas regarding consumer attitudes. Based on a recent survey, 34 percent of respondents in Germany stated that CO2 avoidance was a priority.