How fair is Fairtrade?

Coffee is the most popular drink in Germany. Every German drinks 165 litres of coffee per year, which means that more coffee is consumed than water or Germany’s beloved beer. Espresso, latte macchiato, mochaccino or traditional filter coffee - today, countless coffee shops offer an endless variety of coffee drinks. In recent years, fair trade coffee has conquered not only supermarket shelves but also canteens, cafeterias and coffee shops. But what is the difference between fair trade and conventionally traded coffee? Are the living conditions of coffee farmers really better under FairTrade? This paper examines the impact of FairTrade on the coffee trade and takes a closer look at the consumer side. Finally, the future prospects for fair trade are discussed.