Spending on Fairtrade items in Luxembourg up 10% last year

Spending on Fairtrade products in Luxembourg increased by 10% last year, according to new figures published by Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg on Tuesday.

One in three bananas sold in Luxembourg last year was Fairtrade-certified, with overall Fairtrade products worth €58.2 million sold in the country in 2024, up 10% on the previous year.

The surge in spending highlights “the country’s commitment to ethical consumption”, the organisation said in a press release.

“The average per capita spend on Fairtrade-labelled products reached €85, an increase of €6 compared to 2023,” Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg said. “This is remarkable, given the broader inflationary pressures on everyday items.”

The Fairtrade network supported around two million producers and workers in 67 countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas last year.

The organisation said that in 2023, €211.5 million in Fairtrade premiums were transferred from European purchases to countries in the Global South, funding training programmes, healthcare initiatives, water treatment and infrastructure.

Bananas and chocolate lead the way

Bananas remain the biggest Fairtrade item in Luxembourg, with 2,283 tonnes sold in 2024: accounting for one in every third banana sold in the country.

Chocolate also saw a sharp rise in demand: despite cocoa prices doubling early last year, sales of Fairtrade-certified chocolate in Luxembourg rose by 11% compared to 2023.

Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg credited the increase in part to Luxembourg companies Luxlait, Jos & Jean-Marie and the Ateliers du Tricentenaire, which are major players in the Fairtrade chocolate sector.

The number of Fairtrade-certified products available in Luxembourg also grew sharply in 2024: with 657 new products launched during the year, consumers can now choose from 5,907 certified items.

Engagement from local firms

Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg said the growth is not only down to consumer choices, but also to the commitment of local businesses.

A total of 30 Luxembourg companies now work with Fairtrade products, up from 27 in 2023.

Among them are Kichelcher.lu, CaféTree and Provençale, which are increasingly processing and offering Fairtrade goods, the organisation said.

The group is also advocating for stronger legislation to protect producers in poorer countries.

“However, these advances are now threatened by political pressure to lower standards and water down regulations in the name of economic competitiveness,” said Jean-Louis Zeien, President of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg.

(This article was originally published by the Luxemburger Wort. Machine translated, with editing and adaptation by Lucrezia Reale.)