How Important is Buying Fair Trade Items?

Photo by permission of Robert Whitlock

Thaddeus Truitt, a senior at University of Oregon, recently contacted me about a survey that he is doing for his business administration class, ” Business Strategies and Planning”  taught by Professor Elizabeth Hjelm.  (This is a real college survey. I am confirmed  the legitimacy of it with his Professor.)  He explains, “my class is researching the fair trade market for food products and analyzing how fair trade adds value for consumers.”

The survey request has been posted throughout the blogshere including Facebook, class mates, etc. so that he can get a wide range of results.   So, please take the time to answer his survey. It only takes a few minutes and does not ask for any personal information such as name, address, or email.  In addition, if you have any feedback for him to make the survey better, I am sure he would like to hear them.   Please list them in your comments.

As soon as the class has collected the data, I hope that Thaddeus tells us the outcome.  I am very curious about what he discovers. Thaddeus, don’t forget about us!

After I took the survey, I found I had questions for all of you.  Being the question Queen, I will just roll out the questions. Ready?

• Do you consciously seek out products that are fair trade products?
• Would you buy fair trade before you buy something green?
• What images do you conger up when you think of farmers in third world countries? Did these come from newspapers, you tube, and/or TV?
• Everywhere you read, you see the fever pitch of buy green, but do you also see buy green and fair trade too?
• If purchasing fair trade is not important to you, why?  Lack of information?  Products not available? Price?

Don’t be afraid to tell me “fair trade” products do not matter to you. I am the only one who see your email address.  I am just curious.

Personally, I would like to see more corporate responsibility in this direction.

Let me know your thoughts to my questions.  Again, please fill out Thaddeus’ survey and give him some feedback here on the site!  Thanks for your help.

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