Oxfam's Fairtrade brand accused of being 'misleading'

from the Melbourne Herald

A consumer watchdog group in Australia has cautioned on the OXFAM fair trade certification. - Kale

Free market think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs, had complained to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission saying Oxfam had been misleading consumers about the brands helping farmers in developing nations.

Numerous studies showed that fair trade was not helping lift people out of poverty, as claimed by Oxfam, the institute said.

The commission, in a letter to the institute, said it recognised some material existed in the marketplace where Oxfam repeated fair trade statements that contained absolute claims.

Oxfam had been told such claims left it at risk of contravening the Trade Practices Act, the commission said.

Link to full article. May expire in future.