Starbucks believes that the company deserves a credit for being one of the biggest Fair Trade coffee purchasers in North America. I agree the company has taken some steps in the right direction but the fact that Fair Trade makes up only less than 6 per cent of its annual coffee purchases is outrageous.
The company's video released on YouTube - the new battleground - once again featured Mr. Dub Hay who failed to explain why the company prides itself for purchasing infinitesimally small amount of Fair Trade certified coffees while over 94 per cent of its purchases are still unfairly traded.
There is a big difference between a fair price and aid or a tip, you know.
The farmers who grow the best coffees in the world still continue to live under severe poverty whereas Starbucks sells these coffees for $26 per pound. Yet, the company insists that we should feel good about drinking Starbucks.
CAFE or not, the farmers' question is for Starbucks to pay for the coffee it brews - a price that covers at least their costs of production.
Watch the video here.
Tune in for more on this and other developments.
According to the store I visit most days in Bristol, Starbucks have paid an average of $1.42 per lb of coffee during the last year. Fairtrade demands a price of $1.28 per lb. Surely this means buying Fairtrade coffee means passing on less money to coffee farmers? This is very recent information, so I'd be interested to know if this changes your perception of Starbucks ethics?
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