Belgians are showing a growing preference for Fairtrade products, with record-breaking sales reported. According to De Standaard and Le Soir, Fairtrade Belgium, the Belgian arm of the

international Fairtrade organization, has witnessed a 20% surge in the fair trade market compared to 2021.

In 2022, the total market value of Fairtrade products sold in Belgium reached 312 million euros, marking an impressive 85% increase over the past five years. Notably, chocolate and bananas have experienced exceptional growth.

"Fairtrade had an outstanding year in 2022," remarked Philippe Weiler, CEO of Fairtrade Belgium. "Through an expanded product range, we have reached a larger consumer base, with people increasingly willing to invest more in fair production. These results are particularly encouraging, considering that consumers had to navigate significant increases in food and electricity costs throughout the year."

However, it's worth noting that Fairtrade products still represent only 1% of the total market value. The overall value of the entire Belgian retail sector, as estimated by the knowledge platform Gondola Academy, amounted to 30.8 billion euros in 2022. Photo by Vincentl, Wikimedia commons.