Certified products, growing number of Italian companies with the label

Attention to certified products is growing. Both on the part of consumers, who increasingly prefer products with a certification, and on the part of companies that "choose a fairer, more transparent sourcing model that is attentive to human rights throughout the supply chain". Describing the scenario, which also tells of a change and a new trend, is Fairtrade the international movement for sustainability, human and environmental rights and a family of certification marks that can be found on products such as coffee, cocoa, bananas, pineapple, tea grown or made under conditions that improve the quality of life of farmers in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The occasion was offered by the annual event 'Cultivating the future: the impact of Fairtrade Italy'.

In 2024, the value of products sold in our country containing at least one Fairtrade-certified ingredient exceeded EUR 550 million. A figure that includes not only raw materials, but also processed products that use one of the certified ingredients, such as biscuits.

Bananas are confirmed as the best-selling Fairtrade certified product, with over 14 thousand tonnes (+1.5% compared to 2023), and consumption of cocoa is consolidating, once again exceeding 10 thousand tonnes, marking an increase of 5% compared to the previous year. Cane sugar is also growing, albeit at a slower pace (+0.5%), while Fairtrade coffee, despite a critical year globally in terms of prices that saw an uncontrollable surge, is back above 800 tonnes, with a growth of over 12.5%.

The number of active Italian operators is also growing: 'Today, more than 300 companies import, process and distribute Fairtrade certified products, up by +3% compared to 2023,' they emphasise. 'The number of references on the shelves is also increasing, especially in the large-scale retail trade, and the brand's presence in the non-food market is strengthening, with cotton (+40%) and cut flowers (+28%) growing strongly. A trend that represents the beginning of a new course.

'The data speak of an Italy increasingly involved in change. In a world that asks for responsibility, Fairtrade represents a concrete answer for companies and people: a system that combines rigour, transparency and real impact,' emphasises Paolo Pastore, general director of Fairtrade Italia. 'Strengthening supply chains today means protecting human rights, facing environmental challenges and building together an economy that looks to the future. It is not just a question of fair prices, but of shared responsibility. This is why we work alongside Italian companies every day, not only with certification but also with concrete tools to face the new challenges of compliance and traceability, always remaining connected to the needs of producers'.