Avon "mark." product Photo Credit: shoppingnexus

AVON AND TRANSFAIR THE FOCUS OF NAD RULING ON FAIR-TRADE CLAIM

A press release from the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus recently announced that NAD recommends TransFair (now called Fair Trade USA) modify language accompanying certain Fair Trade seals and recommends Avon discontinue use of photos that overstate Fair Trade benefits of purchase.

NAD’s mission as stated on its website, is to “review national advertising for truthfulness and accuracy and foster public confidence in the credibility of advertising.”

AdvertisingAge had this to say about this interesting development in Fair Trade Certification news:

Up to now, personal-care brands have been calling themselves “fair trade” when as little as 2% of their ingredients are sourced that way. The National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus doesn’t think that’s fair.

NAD News expands on their ruling:

The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureau has recommended that TransFair USA, which licenses use of “fair trade” seals, modify the authorized language that accompanies seals provided for personal-care products to make clear that such products may contain only 2-5% fair-trade certified ingredients. The organization has agreed to do so.

Separately, NAD has recommended that Avon Products, Inc., which advertises the “mark.” body product line, modify its advertising to assure that images used in connection with a fair-trade seal do not overstate the benefits associated with purchasing Avon “mark.” personal care products that contain certified fair-trade ingredients. The company has agreed to do so.

Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, the maker of personal-care products and cosmetics that are certified as fair-trade through the Institute for Marketecology (IMO), challenged the truthfulness and accuracy of TransFair’s licensed use of its “Fair Trade Certified,” “Fair Trade Certified Ingredients” and “Fair Trade Certified Ingredient-Specific” seal for Avon’s “mark.” product line.

You can read the complete press release here to find out what Avon and TransFair had to say in response to this ruling.

Young Fair Trade Activist Marie Hogan Photo Credit: Diane Lent

VIDEOS FROM HERSHEY RALLY IN TIMES SQUARE

The Hershey rally in Times Square was an extraordinary success. 200-300 people, mostly K-12 students, stood up for the rights of youth on the other side of the globe. Global Exchange’s Fair Trade Campaign Director (and rally Master of Ceremonies!) Adrienne Fitch-Frankel described the event:

It was a profoundly embarrassing moment for Hershey, when hundreds of youth – the demographic that much of the company’s products and merchandising caters to – came to Hershey’s own front doorstep carrying signs, shouting chants, and calling Hershey out in public for using child labor in the cocoa fields.

Watch the rally in action in this 15-second video.

More videos from the event are available here.

Event speakers included 11-year-old Marie Hogan, Global Exchange’s San Francisco Sweet Smarts chapter leader, and Neil Rathan, an NYC teacher whose use of Global Exchange’s Fair Trade unit inspired his students to launch Children Against Chocolate Aided Oppression (which challenges forced and child labor in the cocoa industry and promotes Fair Trade). Another speaker in attendance was human rights advocate Kerry Kennedy, who addressed the crowd and repeated what we all know: “There’s nothing sweet about child labor.”

Watch the video of Kerry Kennedy speaking.

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5 DAYS LEFT TO SUBMIT PHOTOS TO FAIR TRADE CALENDAR PHOTO CONTEST

The third annual Fair Trade Calendar Photo Contest is in full swing, and there’s 5 days left to submit your Fair Trade themed photos for the chance to be included in the 2012 Fair Trade calendar. You can enter photos from producer or consumer countries. The 12 winning Fair Trade photos will be featured in the 2012 Fair Trade Calendar.
Here’s How to Get Involved:
1) Submit Photos (June 1-26, 2011)
1.    Read contest Guidelines/Eligibility for details on qualifying, specifications, etc.
2.    Email each photo, with a caption up to 50 words to photocontest@ftrn.org;
3.    Pay submission fee of $10/photo at Fair Trade Resource Network’s Online Store;
2) Vote for Photos (June 27 – July 16, 2011)
Vote online for your favorites, with a link announced on FTRN’s website on June 27. The 12 winning photos will be featured each month in the 2012 Fair Trade Calendar. Over 1500 people voted for their favorite photos in last year’s contest!

To learn more about the Fair Trade Calendar Photo Contest, visit FTRN’s website or email photocontest@ftrn.org.

Luna Lovegood actress Evanna Lynch Photo Credit: Getty Images

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