Traidcraft
Traidcraft is a leading importers, producer and distributor of "fair trade" products. This means that all the people involved in the production cycle are paid enough to live on, work in decent conditions, have access to adequate health care, etc. The essential principles of Traicraft are:
Traidcraft is a Christian response to poverty Our mission is fighting poverty through trade We respect all people and the environment We abide by and promote fair business practice We strive to be transparent and accountable.
We were therefore surprised, in March 2006, to find that many Traidcraft biscuits contain hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO). To include this substance, know to be deleterious to health, in their products, appears to violate the ethical principles on which Traidcraft claims to operate.
Among the products containing HVO were:
- Stem ginger cookies
- Chocolate chip cookies.
Not containing HVO were the "Organic brazil nut cookies". This fact was stated in bold, capital letters in the ingredients list - showing that Traidcraft is fully aware of the issues surrounding HVO. This claim is, of course, a nonsense: hydrogenated oil is forbidden by law in organic products, so the claim is superfluous.
We had previously communicated with Traidcraft in 26 October 2004, when they stated:
"Thank you for your email regarding Traidcraft cookies. Our Food Team have been working with our manufacturers to find alternatives to the use of Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil. We have changed the ingredients of our Geobars and they no longer contain hydrogenated oils. Hopefully we will be able to find an alternative recipe for the cookies too."
It is therefore most unimpressive that these cookie still contain hydrogenated oil in 2006! When we queried them again, they responded (16 March 2006)
"Due to customer demand Traidcraft have already engineered this ingredient out of the Geobar recipe. We hope to re-formulate the Cookie recipes this spring to remove hydrogenated oil, this will coincide with the launch of new packaging."
We can only hope that this time, they mean what they say!
Contact Traidcraft
website: www.traidcraft.co.uk.
Email: comms@traidcraft.co.uk .
