However, the system is tricky for producers. Different organizations have different definitions on what "fair" means. The trademark is often seen as a symbol of ethical and sustainable production, but there are some flaws:

• Limited participation: Not all small-scale producers can be part of the fairtrade system. There are often strict (and EXPENSIVE) requirements for becoming certified. Producers who may be committed to ethical and sustainable practices may not be able to use the fairtrade trademark if they can't afford it.
  
  
• Complex certification process: The process of becoming certified as a fairtrade producer is complex and time-consuming, which may be a barrier for some small-scale producers. It also leads to additional costs for producers.
  
• Limited impact on larger issues: While fairtrade can have a positive impact on the lives of small-scale producers, it may not address larger issues such as systemic inequality and exploitation in global trade. Here's the biggest issue, for the organization, a "fair price" is considered a small percentage above the lowest price possible. You can find the price chart here.
  
• Misuse of the trademark: There have been instances of the fairtrade trademark being misused or exploited by companies that do not fully meet the standards of fairtrade. Oops!
  
  

Yes, trademarks can be valuable tools for promoting ethical and sustainable production, but that doesn't mean that as consumer we shouldn't research as much as possible where our products come from. Remember that Fairtrade is just one of many approaches to promoting more sustainable and equitable trade practices, and that there are many other ways to support small-scale producers and promote ethical and sustainable production. If you can, buy local :)

Thanks for reading! I look forward to reading your comments.

If you've met me at a market or at a course, you know that I often talk about  child labor . There's no way to make it pretty: Children are often used to work in dangerous and exploitative conditions on cacao farms. Cacao is a key ingredient in chocolate, and the global chocolate industry is worth billions of dollars. Does this mean the children get to enjoy this money? Unfortunately not.

A big problem with child labor in cacao farming is that it is often hidden and difficult to track. Many cacao farms are located in remote areas, making it difficult for outside organizations to monitor and regulate working conditions. Also, many producers have conveniently made the supply chain for cacao extra tricky, with beans often passing through multiple intermediaries before they are processed and sold to chocolate manufacturers. This makes it difficult to trace the origin of the beans and ensure that they have been produced ethically.

This is why small companies focus on visiting producers themselves. So there are happy things as well and we're all trying to make a change!

Another happy thing is the will to address child labor in the cacao industry. In 2001, a group of major chocolate manufacturers formed the Harkin-Engel Protocol, which aims to eliminate the worst forms of child labor from the cacao industry. The protocol established a set of guidelines for chocolate manufacturers to follow in order to ensure that their products were not produced using child labor.

Sadly, the implementation of the Harkin-Engel Protocol has been slow and uneven, and child labor remains a serious issue in the cacao industry, with over 2 million children estimated to be working in hazardous conditions on cacao farms in West Africa. If you try to find information, everything seems a bit circular, and big companies aim to set a date (2020 the latest one), but this isn't a problem that has been erradicated.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) gave an update in 2011, but doesn't seem to be giving much information after that. The goal was to end this by 2020. But now in 2022, ILO (part of the UN) released a report for possible solutions in West Africa. You can be sad with me and read it here.

If you don't want to read it, I'll quote the ending, and their recommendation:

Yes, politics are a problem, capitalism is a problem, global warming is a problem, but perhaps the question that we don't ask often enough is: how am I as a consumer part of the problem? I'm sorry to break the happiness bubble, but if chocolate makes you happy, it should also bring happiness to the people who have produced it for you.

Thanks for reading! I'll respond to all the comments :)