Fairtrade is at the forefront of student Rory’s mind

To mark Fairtrade Fortnight, University of Northampton Advertising and Digital Marketing student, Rory Hutchison, reflects on why it’s important to think before you shop.

Second-year student, Rory, moved to the UK from South Africa to study in Northampton. When the pandemic struck, unable to travel home to be with family, Rory found himself on the front line of the response to the pandemic, working in a local supermarket, Co-Op.

Since March 2020, unlike most of us, Rory has been busier than ever, working in the Co-Op and completing his studies. Those two worlds collided, when as part of his studies, Rory was tasked with honing his blog writing skills to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight (22 February – 7 March).

Talking about his blog, Rory said: “Coming from South Africa, I’ve seen how important it is to be aware of a fair and ethical supply chain. I believe it’s vital that we all are aware of the power of our spending, and even though it costs a little more, making ethical purchases is important for our shared future.

“I think Fairtrade Fortnight 2021 is even more important than ever before and has a real opportunity to create meaningful change. The pandemic has focused the spotlight on how interconnected we are globally, and how fragile that balance is. One thing that Covid has taught us is we live in a very global world and that’s why Fairtrade is important to help support farming communities recover. We’ve had a year like no other, lets change our ways, and place more importance on doing the right thing for our future.”

Taking inspiration from what he knows best, Rory hit the shelves of his store to explore the products on offer in a blog profiling the wide range of Fairtrade products the Co-Op has to offer.

Catch up with Rory’s recommendations is his blog here.