Retailers and businesses in the UK are being encouraged to support Fairtrade Fortnight, an annual nationwide campaign promoting awareness of Fairtrade that begins on 22 February, by facilitating purchases of Fairtrade goods.

The theme of this year's event is 'The Big Swap', which will see shoppers exchanging everyday shopping items like bananas for Fairtrade ones.

The aim is to get people in the UK to make one million and one swaps over the two-week period and change the lives of at least one million and one farmers and workers around the world.

The Fairtrade Foundation is providing point-of-sale material and other resources to help retailers and other companies promote the Big Swap.

Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, commented: 'Fairtrade Fortnight is a fantastic opportunity for retailers and companies to promote Fairtrade, improve product visibility at point-of-sale and give customers access to more Fairtrade items. Customers consistently tell us that they would buy more Fairtrade goods if they were available so we know the market exists for an ever-increasing range of Fairtrade items.

'We are inspiring people to swap their shopping, but this will only be possible with the support of retailers and companies. Together we can deliver badly needed change for producers in developing countries and so help tip the balance of trade in their favour.'

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