Fair trade consumers and knowledge about fair trade

Abstract

Fair trade is one of the most far-reaching and well-known ethical consumerism movements. It aims to put social justice at the heart of global supply chains. Like other responsible consumerism initiatives, it does so in part by educating the public about how individual purchasing practices relate to the macro-economy. This chapter is written for students, scholars, and practitioners interested in what consumers know about fair trade and why it matters. Drawing on business and social science scholarship, it makes three points: First, the quality of knowledge that people have about fair trade affects the movement’s efficacy. Second, studying fair trade knowledge is tricky and current understanding is limited. Third, available research suggests that very few people have even a basic sense of what fair trade is, much less deep knowledge of how it aims to change the world. This raises questions about ethical consumerism as a form of public education.