Cadbury's Fairtrade commitment

Cadbury New Zealand is aiming to have its Dairy Milk chocolate brand sold under the Fairtrade logo by next Easter, the confectionery company said yesterday.

Cadbury has made an international commitment to Fairtrade, which secures fair minimum prices for farmers of products such as coffee and chocolate in the developing world.

Certification and labelling allow buyers to recognise and choose products that meet international Fairtrade standards.

In March, Cadbury in Britain announced plans for all Dairy Milk in Britain and Ireland to be sold under the Fairtrade logo by the end of its 2009 summer.

Fairtrade executive director Steve Knapp said Cadbury's commitment would open up new opportunities for cocoa farmers in our corner of the world.

Cadbury New Zealand's managing director, Matthew Oldham, said the change would come with no extra cost to buyers and no change to the chocolate.

Early this month, the New Zealand company bowed to public pressure to get rid of palm oil from its chocolate.

- NZPA