Fairtrade certification

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Fairtrade certification (Fairtrade, known as Fair Trade Certified in the United States), is a product certification system designed to allow people to identify products that meet agreed environmental, labour and developmental standards. Overseen by a standard-setting body, FLO International, and a certification body, FLO-CERT, the system involves independent auditing of producers to ensure the agreed standards are met. Companies offering products that meet the Fairtrade standards may apply for licences to use the Fairtrade Certification Mark (or, in North America, the applicable Fair Trade Certified Mark) for those products.

The FLO International Fairtrade certification system covers a growing range of products, including bananas, honey, orange, cocoa, coffee, shortbread, cotton, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, nut and oil seeds, quinoa, rice, spices, sugar, tea and wine.

In 2008, Fairtrade certified sales amounted to approximately €2.9 billion (US $4.08 billion) worldwide, a 22% year-to-year increase.

As of December......
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