Weekly Watch: 1 June 2017

Climate change to worsen in cities, Sainsbury’s launches own Fairly Traded label, The Body Shop asks UN to end animal testing, and Tesco slashes carbon footprint with new refrigerant The Body Shop launches ‘ambitious’ campaign to end animal testing The Body Shop has launched a new campaign for a global ban on animal testing on cosmetic products and ingredients by 2020 in a new partnership with non-profit organisation Cruelty Free International.
The Body Shop plans to take the campaign to the United Nations and request an international convention banning cosmetics testing on animals.
The new research estimated that changing a fifth of a city’s roofs and half the pavements to cooler versions would reduce city air temperatures by 0.8°C (1.4F).
As part of its new sustainability standards, the retailer is piloting a sustainability sourcing approach for its tea range, which Sainsbury’s says will provide more direct support to its farmers.
Under the Fairly Traded pilot, tea farmers supplying Sainsbury’s Red Label and Gold Label ranges will continue to receive a guaranteed minimum price for their crop along with a social premium, as they did under the Fairtrade agreement.
Fairtrade’s chief executive Michael Gidney has said that the Fairly Traded approach falls below the core principles offered by Fairtrade, and will take control away from producers.
We see the proposed approach as an attempt to replace the autonomous role which Fairtrade brings and replace it with a model which no longer balances the power between producers and buyers.” Sainsbury’s has insisted the group’s farmers have been fully supportive of the new approach and Fairtrade are the only people who will lose out through the move.
The new range of Fairly Traded teas will be in Sainsbury’s stores this month.
The retailer has maintained its Fairtrade commitments to its premium ranges of own-brand teas, Fairtrade bananas, coffee, chocolate, and flowers.
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