fair trade
1 antonym for fair trade — opposites grouped by meaning.
Noun — A movement and system of trading in which producers in poorer countries are paid a guaranteed minimum price and better terms for their goods, with standards checked by a certifying body.
Antonyms
free trade
How to use fair trade
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
fair-trade coffee
fair-trade certified
fair trade movement
fair-trade premium
Neutral; hyphenate before a noun (fair-trade coffee) and leave open as a noun (sold through fair trade).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between fair trade and free trade?
Free trade is about removing tariffs and barriers so goods move without restriction, letting the market set prices. Fair trade deliberately intervenes in that market, setting a price floor and a social premium so that small producers are not squeezed by it. They are competing ideas about what an open market does to the weakest suppliers.
What is the difference between fair trade and Fairtrade?
Fair trade, two words, is the general movement and idea. Fairtrade as one capitalised word is a specific certification mark, and only products meeting that scheme's standards may carry its logo.
Does fair trade actually help farmers?
Research finds real but modest gains: certified farmers generally get a more stable price and their co-operatives receive a premium for community projects. Critics point out that certification costs money, that not all certified crop sells at fair-trade prices, and that the poorest labourers may not be the ones benefiting.
