‘Cost of a Cup of Tea: Fair Trade and the British co-operative movement, c. 1960-2000’

In this chapter I consider whether the Co-operative movement could really be seen as ‘naturally sympathetic’ to fair trade as is often suggested. This chapter explores the tensions that existed within the Co-operative movement concerning its approach to international trade relations.

From the late nineteenth century, the consumer co-operative members of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), such as the British movement, expressed a desire to realise the ideals of international co-operation. But it seems that when it came to a choice between demonstrating solidarity with producer co-operatives from the South and maintaining the consumer dividend, invariably it was the producer co-operatives that lost out.

Faced with increased commercial pressure from supermarkets during the 1960s and 1970s, the Co-op resisted moves by its members to support NGO led campaigns such as the Anti-Apartheid movement or the fair tea campaign. It was not until the early 1990s that the Co-op management recognised that Fairtrade was a viable proposition and would allow them to conduct international trade in a manner that was compatible with the ideals of the movement.