Mars has claimed that Maltesers’ move to Fairtrade is expected to increase total retail value of UK Fairtrade product sales by 10% compared to the previous year.
It is estimated that the move will contribute around US $1 million in annual Fairtrade Premium funds for cocoa farmers to invest in their farms, business organisations and communities.
Fiona Dawson, president of Mars Chocolate UK, said: “Fairtrade is an organisation that has a great impact on the ground in West Africa and partnering with them is another step towards our 2020 goal of 100% certified sustainable.”
This month, Mars announced that it had purchased 10% of its total cocoa supply as certified sustainable. It said that it was on course to exceed its 20% target for this year.
In the first year of Maltesers going Fairtrade, Mars will buy around 5,000 metric tonnes of Fairtrade cocoa.
The company has set a global target to source all of its cocoa from certified sustainable sources that avoid child labour by 2020.
