Raising the bar on sustainability, the Co-operative is to become the first UK retailer to source 100% Fairtrade cocoa.
From May 2017, the group will become the first UK retailer to sell and use only Fairtrade cocoa in all of its products, from the chocolate sprinkles on doughnuts to the chocolate chips in its Irresistible Triple Chocolate Cookies.
Working in partnership with the Fairtrade Foundation to create a new sourcing model, the landmark move means that all cocoa in own-brand ranges will be bought entirely through a new retail-ready version of Fairtrade's Cocoa Sourcing Program, which has been developed over the last 12 months in collaboration with the Foundation.
This commitment will bring back an additional £450k in Fairtrade Premiums to cocoa farmers every year and will bring not just security through a minimum prices, but also social and economic benefits to cocoa farmers.
The move follows the news that all Co-op own-brand chocolate confectionery range now carries the Fairtrade Mark – from chocolate bars and gift boxes to chocolate buttons and seasonal novelties.
Set to be worth an estimated £7.1m to the industry, Co-op's commitment will generate £450k in Fairtrade Premium per annum for cocoa communities, ensuring that money goes directly in to the hands of the farmers.
The switch, which will include over 200 of Co-op products, will be completed by the end of May 2017. It will see a five-fold rise in the amount of Fairtrade cocoa sourced by the retailer, taking the total tonnage from 526 to 2,848 tonnes.