Lidl Belgium has announced that it will only sell Fairtrade-certified bananas from the middle of this year.
The move, a first for Belgian supermarkets, will push the sales of certified bananas by 90% in the country, the company said.
Better Income For Farmers
Director of Fairtrade Belgium, Nicolas Lambert, said, "Impact and volume are closely linked.
"The more customers choose for fair products, the more impact on the farmer's income, so high volumes are of great importance to bring about change on a large scale, and it makes the voice of fair trade stronger."
Lidl Belgium has pledged to increase its turnover from sustainable products by 10% per year.
Loyal Fairtrade Partner
The supermarket chain has also been a loyal Fairtrade partner for several years.
Head of sustainability at Lidl, Philippe Weiler, said, "We are convinced that everyone who is a part of the chain must take responsibility. […] Fair trade should not be very cheap, but affordable."
Lidl Belgium sells around 14 million kilograms of bananas annually.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
