Fairtrade celebrates its 15th anniversary

You would be forgiven for thinking that this recession malarkey was likely to curb the success of fairly traded, ethically sourced and organically grown products.

After all, if you’re battling to stay off the dole, and struggling to stay in demand, how righteous your rice, how principled your pumps, or how moral your mung beans are has got to be the last thing on your mind. Surely you’ll just hold out for the latest deals on industrial sized packs of fish fingers and head for shops where you can buy forty jumpers for £5.99. It’s those deals that will see you through the bleaker times is it not?