In Ireland, the only national organization that concentrates on importing, wholesaling and retailing fair trade products is Tradeireann. Taking Northern Ireland into account as well, Trocaire and War on Want must be added. There are also four wholesale organizations that import fair trade products from alternative trading organizations in the United Kingdom: Galloway Wholefoods, Wholefood Wholesale and Munster Wholesales purchase from Traidcraft, whereas Lifeforce only imports Caf‚direct.
The retail network furthermore includes the Oxfam Shops, a few Third World Shops (in Athlone, Galway, PortLaoise) and a number of supermarkets and health food shops - all in all some 60 points of sale. Another retail channel is the mail-order catalogue of Trocaire, mainly distributed in Northern Ireland.
There is an umbrella organization which functions as a network for the distribution of fair trade products and the promotion of educational campaigns among all groups involved in development aid and development education: the Irish Fair Trade Network - IFTN.
The UK's labelling organization (FairTrade Foundation) is also present in Ireland, where labelled products are distributed (i.e. Caf‚direct). They are still investigating the possibility of having one agreed national labelling initiative.
Information on development issues is disseminated through leaflets in shops, displays, events, seminars, training sessions, development education centres, schools, community groups and general talk to the public. The IFTN budget for education is about 35,000 ECU.
Few figures are available about the dimension of the market or estimates of wholesale or retail turnover.
The general attitude among commercial importers or wholesalers shows a lack of positive response or interest in fair trade, except among the ones mentioned above. The lack of response may be contributed to a lack of knowledge and awareness about fair trade.
It is not possible to quantify the consumers' reaction because national market research was never conducted; only a local survey which indicates that the average consumer is cost-conscious, committed and increasingly interested in development and equity issues.
Generally speaking, the products are too expensive since most of them are imported via the U.K.
| import organizations: | 1 |
| wholesale organizations: | 4 |
| retailers: | |
| world shops | |
| commercial shops | |
| supermarkets | |
| points of sale: | 60 |
| trademarks: | FairTrade Foundation |
| retail channels: | |
| mail order | yes |
| world shops | yes |
| commercial stores | yes |
| commercial chains of stores | yes |
| budgets for education: | |
| IFTN | 35,000 ECU |
| wholesale turnover: | - |
| retail turnover: | - |
| public awareness of fair trade: | - |
| public awareness of fair trade products: | - |
| willingness to pay a higher price: | - |
| market share: | - |
| turnover per product category: | - |
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