If you buy a product carrying the Fair Trade symbol then you can be assured that a fair proportion of the price you are paying is going to the third world producers of the product. Many of the middlemen and international companies who normally take the bulk of the profits are cut out of the chain.

The Fairtrade Foundation, started in the 1980s, administers the scheme and allocates the symbol to schemes which meet their standards.

The list of Fair Trade products ranges from fresh fruit to wines to sports balls. The Fair Trade website has a list of retailers including supermarkets and on-line suppliers.