noun
fair trade
fair TRAYD
Fair trade (noun) means 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. Example: “The café buys only coffee sold through fair trade.”
noun
1
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.
"The café buys only coffee sold through fair trade."
"Fair trade now covers cocoa, bananas, cotton and tea as well as coffee."
2
formal Trade conducted on terms considered just or evenly balanced between countries or parties.
"Ministers said they wanted free trade, but fair trade above all."
adjective
1
Produced or sold under such an arrangement.
"A bar of fair-trade chocolate costs a little more."
"They stock fair-trade bananas as standard."
How to use fair trade
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGoods bought from farmers in poorer countries at a guaranteed decent price.
When to use it
Neutral; hyphenate before a noun (fair-trade coffee) and leave open as a noun (sold through fair trade).
Memory tip
'Ethically sourced' is a marketing phrase with no fixed standard behind it; fair-trade certification does have one.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
fair-trade coffee
fair-trade certified
fair trade movement
fair-trade premium
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like fair trade.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The café buys only coffee sold through _____.
Antonyms
free trade
Rhymes for fair trade
See all rhymes for 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.
What is the meaning of fair trade?
"fair trade" (noun) means 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.
