Scotland sets ambitious Fair Trade New Year's resolution

Scots are being urged to make a new year's resolution with a difference - to help Scotland become only the world's second Fair Trade Nation.

The Scottish Fair Trade Forum today set a target to triple the number of towns in Scotland with Fairtrade status. Currently 31 towns with populations of over 5000 are Fairtrade towns - the aim for 2010 to is get that number up to 96.

The ambitious new targets were announced at the One World Shop - a store which sells only Fair Trade goods -  on Glasgow's Great Western Road.

To become a Fair Trade Nation, Scotland has to reach a set number of goals and then maintain those achievements to keep its Fair Trade status.

Betsy Reed, Director of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, said:

"We have a number of targets to reach and we have already hit many of them. For instance, all of Scotland's six cities now have Fairtrade status.

"Our next aim is to target the bigger towns and to get 96 of them recognised as Fairtrade towns. To do that in 2010, we need to triple the current number of Fairtrade towns and we believe we can do it.

"I hope the people of Scotland will make it their new year's resolution to help make their town a Fairtrade town and to buy and ask for Fairtrade products whenever they can.

"Since the Scottish Fair Trade Forum was set up two years ago, the number of Fairtrade towns, villages, islands and cities has doubled so we are seeing great progress towards our goal of making Scotland a Fair Trade Nation."

Malcolm Fleming, Oxfam Scotland's Campaigns Manager and board member of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, said:

"By buying Fairtrade products, you are directly changing the lives of people in developing countries such as Malawi by giving them a fair deal for their products.

"That gives them the power to provide for themselves and their families. Scotland is among the world's leading countries when it comes to Fairtrade and the next goal is to become one of the world's first Fair Trade Nations."

To get involved in your local Fair Trade movement, visit www.scottishfairtradeforum.org.uk or call 0131 474 8014.