Fairtrade offers an alternative to conventional trade and is based on an agreement between producers and consumers to improve lives and reduce poverty through ethical business practices. The Fairtrade certification system aims to ensure that the product being purchased meets special social, economic, and environmental standards.

The system tries to work with marginalized producers and workers to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency, enable producers and workers as committed groups within their own organizations, and contribute to the creation of greater equity in international trade. Products included in FairTradeMark are: coffee, tea, herbs, cocoa, fresh fruit, vegetables, sugar, nuts, oils, butters, beans, grains, wine, clothing, flowers, honey and spices, skin care products, alcoholic beverages with currently certified ingredients present in ready-to-drink beverages.

Fairtrade has achieved significant market share in certain markets, including 53% of bananas sold in supermarkets in Switzerland and 22% of ground coffee in the UK. There are currently over 27,000 Fairtrade-labeled products sold in more than 115 countries.