As the cost of living rises faster than wages, South Africans are being urged to look beyond price tags and confront the hidden human cost of their everyday purchases.
Fairtrade Africa, marking its 20th anniversary, says the country’s coffee, wine and chocolate industries cannot thrive on a system where the people producing them still struggle to survive.
Having launched the third edition of its Be Fair Right Now campaign in November, the organisation is calling on consumers to use their buying power to close the gap between minimum wages and living wages – an issue increasingly central to South Africa’s inequality crisis.
“Building fairness from the ground up means ensuring the people behind our everyday luxuries can live and work with dignity,” says Zinhle Ndlovu, head of Region: Southern Africa Network at Fairtrade Africa. “When you pay a few rand more for a cup of coffee, you’re not just buying a beverage. You’re supporting a farmer’s ability to earn a living wage, send their children to school and break the cycle of poverty.
“Fair wages are a cornerstone of sustainable development, and we are calling on South Africans to use their purchasing power to support the people whose labour makes our lives better.”
For two decades, Fairtrade Africa has stood with farmers, workers and communities across Africa and the Middle East, working to build fairer futures from the ground up. The organisation’s mission to ensure trade uplifts rather than exploits – by setting standards for fair prices, living income and sustainable practices – has always remained constant.
Now, as Fairtrade Africa celebrates this milestone, it is challenging consumers to take up the baton and Be Fair Right Now by purchasing Fairtrade-certified brands that align with ethical and sustainable values.
Join the movement
Running until mid-January 2026, the Be Fair Right Now campaign gives South Africans the chance to take a stand for fairness and have fun while doing it.
Participants can complete the interactive Fairtrade quiz, discover how fair their purchases really are, and stand a chance to win Fairtrade hampers or the ultimate Fairtrade Experience: an all-inclusive weekend getaway in the Cape Winelands.
Whether it’s coffee, tea, chocolate or wine, every Fairtrade-certified product purchased helps build fairer and sustainable supply chains – preserving resources, fairer wages and fairer futures.
South Africans over the age of 18 can complete the quiz and submit their email address to enter.
Image credit: Freepik
