Fair trade debate

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The fair trade debate concerns the ethics and economic implications of fair trade, a term for an arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships. The benefits of fair trade for farmers and workers can vary considerably and the social transformation impacts also vary around the world.^[1] However the main concerns from critics is that fair trade may give an unfair advantage to some producers over others.

Fairtrade researcher Alastair Smith argues that while some criticisms are grounded in acceptable standards of evidence (and deserve serious attention), others are less well elaborated,^[2] and that in a few cases the criticisms presented are assertions with little or no credible evidence to support them.^[3] These claims have themselves been criticized on matters of fact, theory, methodology, use of evidence and incorrect citations.^{[4]: 45–49 [5]}