Why do we have Fairtrade wine?

Poor working and living conditions have been the norm for many workers in the wine industry, particularly those operating in some of the world’s most underdeveloped, isolated and poverty stricken nations. 

Notably, wine, producers in South America and South Africa have had unique social, political and economic challenges to deal with.

The legacy of apartheid in South Africa, for example, and low and inconsistent market prices in South America have meant wine growers there are often exposed to an unpredictable future.

Fairtrade wine first went on shelves anywhere in the world in the UK in 2004, and with it brought guarantees that farmers could cover the costs of production and support grape growers to maintain ownership of their land against the pressure of large business.