Fair week in Erfurt: Discover the world of fair trade!

Fair week in Erfurt: Discover the world of fair trade!

The Fair Week 2025 is currently underway in Erfurt and will be celebrated until September 26th. An important player in this event is the CONTIGO Fairtrade Shop, where various pioneers of fair trade met yesterday for an exchange. Among the participants were Frank Mittelstädt, the representative for the Fairtrade Town of the Erfurt city administration, Barbara Wagener, the manager of the CONTIGO shop, and the author Frank Herrmann. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the opportunities and challenges of fair trade as well as local engagement opportunities. Such meetings are fundamental to further promote fair trade in the region and make it sustainable, as Erfurt reports.

The CONTIGO Fairtrade Shop in the historic old town offers a variety of sample offers of fairly traded products during the promotional period. The shop's address is Predigerstraße 19 and it is open from Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Here, visitors will not only find delicious organic coffee, but also a remarkable selection of handmade products such as silver jewelry and leather goods from India, hammocks from El Salvador, upcycled bags from the Philippines and hand-painted ceramics from South Africa. These products come exclusively from small and medium-sized companies from developing and emerging countries that practice sustainable trade according to recognized fair trade rules. The website of CONTIGO also provides information about this.

The change in fair trade

Fair trade is still very important in Germany. According to current data, the number of Germans who prefer to buy fair trade products fell to around 15.97 million in 2024. Despite this slight decline, sales of Fairtrade products rose to an impressive 2.9 billion euros, an increase of over 12 percent compared to the previous year. Tropical fruits are particularly in demand among consumers - especially bananas, with around 127,000 units sold in the same year. In addition, Fairtrade coffee is at the top of the product category with sales of around 907.8 million euros, which corresponds to a significant increase of over 70 million euros compared to 2023. Fair trade remains a buzzword that ultimately supports many small farmers in developing countries by offering them better planning security, as the information from Statista makes clear.

The Fairtrade labels, which stand for quality and social justice, are awarded by national associations that belong to the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International. These initiatives are essential to maintaining fair trade standards and educating buyers about their importance. At a time when consumption and sustainability are more in focus than ever, it shows that fair trade is not only an ethical choice, but also an economically sensible business for everyone involved. Despite the slight withdrawal among consumers, awareness of fairness and organic products is still a topic of conversation.

So if you haven't yet taken advantage of the Fair Week in Erfurt, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to visit the CONTIGO Fairtrade Shop and immerse yourself in the world of fair trade. Here we not only indulge in culinary delights, but also improve a small piece of the world!