Club La Costa supports Fairtrade at Duchally 23rd June 2008
New research shows that more UK consumers than ever before  some 70 per cent of the population, up from 57 per cent in 2007  now recognise the FAIRTRADE mark, symbol of the Fairtrade Foundation, which calls on consumers, companies and politicians to step up the fight against global poverty through trade.
Demand for Fairtrade products in UK hotels and B&Bs has risen from 11 per cent to 23 per cent, and Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels, one of Europe's leading resort developers, is supporting the Fairtrade movement through a lead taken by management at one of its 3 UK-based resorts.
We have moved all our coffee, tea and hot chocolate products over to Fairtrade without any negative effect whatsoever on quality. Going forward, we will be looking to introduce more products from the Fairtrade range into our menus
Graeme McDonald, Manager, Duchally
Club La Costa's luxurious Duchally Country Estate in Perthshire, Scotland, is managed by Graeme McDonald, who said, " We are members of the Perth & Kinross Fairtrade Association and have moved all our coffee, tea and hot chocolate products over to Fairtrade without any negative effect whatsoever on quality. Going forward, we will be looking to introduce more products from the Fairtrade range into our menus. "
Coffee remains the most widely known Fairtrade product, although significant increases have also been made in the awareness of Fairtrade tea, chocolate and bananas and the full Fairtrade range now consists of more than 3,000 certified products.
Some 7 million people in the third world  farmers, workers and their families  benefit from the international Fairtrade system.
The balance of public opinion is tipping in favour of Fairtrade and with global sales worth over £1.6 billion Fairtrade has finally come of age
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director, Fairtrade Foundation
'The balance of public opinion is tipping in favour of Fairtrade where it is seen as an integral part of a sustainable global future, and with global sales worth over £1.6 billion Fairtrade has finally come of age.' says Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation.
Apart from its 3 UK locations, Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels owns and operates the remainder of its 22 resorts in Spain and Austria, countries which also have flourishing Fairtrade markets. Although both are significantly smaller than the UK market, progress, especially in Spain - up 105 per cent since 2006, has been excellent.
The resort development group is keen to support as many 'green' and eco-conscious initiatives as possible and, doubtless, the lead being taken by Duchally in Scotland will be closely watched for potential migration to other resorts across the Club La Costa portfolio in Europe.
We have moved all our coffee, tea and hot chocolate products over to Fairtrade without any negative effect whatsoever on quality. Going forward, we will be looking to introduce more products from the Fairtrade range into our menus
