Guernsey marks 20 years as Fairtrade island with fortnight of events championing fair pay
- Guernsey celebrates 20 years as a Fairtrade island with events running from 21 September to 4 October 2026
- Campaign focuses on fair pay for farmers and workers, with average non-Fairtrade coffee farmer living on £1.37 per day
- Events include walking football tournament, photography exhibition, schools competition and film screening
- Research shows seven in 10 adults purchase Fairtrade products regularly and 85% support fair pay for farmers
- Island achieved Fairtrade status in March 2006 following States Requête led by late Deputy Mike Torode
Guernsey is celebrating two decades as a Fairtrade community with a fortnight of events designed to highlight the importance of fair pay for farmers and workers in lower-income countries.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2026, running from Monday 21 September to Sunday 4 October, will see the island join a nationwide campaign championing the producers behind everyday essentials including tea, coffee, bananas and cocoa.
Operating under the theme "Do It Fair - for People, for Planet and for Fair Pay", this year's initiative focuses on the principle that everyone deserves the chance to live well. Organisers say consumer choices remain a powerful tool for trade justice amid global economic inflation and escalating climate shocks.
The Fairtrade Guernsey Steering Group has organised a series of community events to mark the occasion. A corporate walking football tournament using Fairtrade footballs will take place on Friday 11 September at KGV, organised by Guernsey Walking Football Club in support of Male Uprising Guernsey and Pink Ladies.
A '20 Photos for 20 Years' display celebrating Guernsey's anniversary as a Fairtrade island will be exhibited at Guille-Allès Library and Beau Sejour concourse throughout the fortnight. The collection, which can also be viewed online, features significant milestones in Guernsey's Fairtrade journey and demonstrates how the promotion and purchase of Fairtrade products can deliver positive impacts for farmers and workers globally.
Local schools are invited to participate in a photography competition, with entries open until Friday 9 October. Students are asked to take and submit a photo representing fairness, with submissions to be judged by Paul Chambers.
States members will be invited to a Fairtrade tea break on Wednesday 30 September in the Grand Hall of the Royal Court building between 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
A Fairtrade stall will operate in Market Square on Saturday 3 October from 12pm to 3pm, featuring product sales, tastings and games. The fortnight will conclude with a Fairtrade film screening with refreshments on Tuesday 6 October from 6.30pm in the Dorey room at Guille-Allès Library.
Guernsey achieved Fairtrade island status in March 2006, following a successful Requête led by the late Deputy Mike Torode in the States in 2005. The motion committed the government "to support all goals, targets and initiatives to enable the island to be recognised as a Fairtrade Island".
The Fairtrade movement addresses significant disparities in global supply chains. The average non-Fairtrade coffee farmer lives on as little as £1.37 per day, whilst the average cocoa farmer earns just six per cent of the final value of a chocolate bar. Only one in five tea growers in Kenya report earning enough income to support their families with essentials, despite the substantial value of the global coffee, tea and chocolate industries.
Research indicates strong public support for ethical supply chains, with seven in 10 adults purchasing Fairtrade products regularly and 85 per cent believing that farmers in lower-income countries should receive stable, fair pay.
The Fairtrade system pays a minimum price and provides an additional premium, enabling farming cooperatives to invest in climate-resilient agriculture, clean water, medical care and education.
Judy Moore, chair of the Fairtrade Guernsey Steering Group, said: "As we celebrate Guernsey's 20th anniversary as a recognised Fairtrade Island, this Fortnight is a powerful reminder of what grassroots action can achieve.
"Ever since Guernsey officially earned its status in March 2006, our strength has always come from the heart of our community-the local schools, businesses, and islanders who consistently choose trade justice over the cheapest price.
"Supporting the heart of our community is exactly how we ensure smallholder farmers globally can afford fair wages and combat the climate crisis. Our island's 20-year commitment proves that when a community stands together, our collective choices create a life-changing impact across the globe."
Guernsey's Fairtrade island status has been renewed every two years since 2006, with the next renewal scheduled for December 2026.
Further information about the campaign is available at www.fairtradeguernsey.com or via the Facebook page @FairtradeGuernsey.
Q&A
Q: When is Fairtrade Fortnight 2026 taking place?
A: Fairtrade Fortnight 2026 runs from Monday 21 September to Sunday 4 October.
Q: How long has Guernsey held Fairtrade island status?
A: Guernsey achieved Fairtrade island status in March 2006, making 2026 the island's 20th anniversary as a Fairtrade community.
Q: What percentage of adults regularly purchase Fairtrade products?
A: Research shows that seven in 10 adults purchase Fairtrade products regularly, with 85% believing farmers in lower-income countries should receive stable, fair pay.
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