Coop has introduced in its product lines Fair Trade products since 1995, before under the label "For Solidarity" and then, since 2003, under the label "Coop" in the "Solidal" line.

Italian consumer awareness of Fair Trade keeps growing. Sales tripled over the last few years and Coop, with a turnover of 9,8 million euro and 23 Solidal labels, accounts for 10% of Fair Trade total sales, without taking into consideration the other Fair Trade products available in their stores. Experience in the field grew over the years and now the products Coop sells range from coffee, tea, cream, chocolate, honey, sugar cane, bananas, pineapple, orange juice and rice to football, table-football and volleyball balls. The last important arrival is a polo piquet T-shirt whose cotton, from organic agriculture, is cultivated in India following the Fair Trade criteria in the framework of a co-operation program jointly implemented with Coop Swiss.

Commitment towards Fair Trade is shared by the entire European Consumer Co-operative Movement, which distinguishes itself by promoting among its members and consumers this original formula to foster development in Third World countries. This Movement, brought together in EURO COOP, believes Fair Trade supports a social, economic and democratic development in less-developed countries by paying a guaranteed minimum price - even if world market drops; paying an additional social premium for reinvestment into communities; and aiding marginalised and remote growers establish themselves in the world supply chain.

Fair Trade represents then a fair and sustainable way of doing business. It provides a model where economic growth goes hand-in-hand with social and environmental aspects in order to secure sustainable development for future generations. There is then a need for more financial and political support in order to raise awareness and increase production of Fair Trade products. ANCC-COOP therefore has the pleasure to organize on 15 September 2005 a Fair Trade conference in Genoa.