Case study: Sustainable production certification methods

Abstract

This article describes the linking of different fairtrade programmes and certifications with retailers' own brands. The last two decades have seen a growing share of private labels in both retail and wholesale environments for several reasons. Reasons include difficult to predict socio-economic crises such as COVID 19, the political impact of the war in Ukraine, the current energy crisis and the economic crisis that took place between 2008 and 2012. It could be argued that these crises provide fertile ground for the development and growth of private label, with consumers looking for more cost-effective substitutes for mainstream branded products. However, this article will not look at the growth of private label share due to the crises, but rather at the linking of private labels in the case studies in relation to different fairtrade practices, programs or certifications. The aim of the paper is to analyse market trends at the level of the use of certified sustainable commodities in private label products.