As Andy Burnham’s first appearance as Labour leader at the party’s annual conference gets under way in Liverpool, Fairtrade Foundation and social campaign group 38 degrees, have made a prominent appearance, demanding greater pay for farmers, reports Neill Barston.

The two social justice movements have placed equality of wages high on their respective agendas, with fresh research revealing 74% of UK shoppers want agricultural workers to be paid more, as well as assisting them cope with climate change.

Furthering that aim, Fairtrade Foundation and 38 degrees have set out with digital billbaord van tours today in Liverpool, with a clear message to government that firm action is required.

Campaigners will invite the public to scan a QR code on the van and sign a petition calling on the Government to bring in strong laws stopping businesses harming people and the planet through their supply chains. 99,310 people have already signed.

As Confectionery Production has reported in recent years, consumers have become increasingly savvy regarding supply chains, and in particular with regards to low agricultural pay within chocolate and snacking, with two thirds of cocoa sourced from Ivory Coast and Ghana, where agricultural workers are paid significantly below World Bank poverty definitions.

Furthermore, Fairtrade noted that its billboard messages to the Prime Minister include: “Andy, wake up and smell the inequality in your coffee.” “You can’t live without it. But we can’t live without fair pay.” “Support fair pay everywhere.”

Marie Rumsby, Advocacy Director at the Fairtrade Foundation, welcomed the campaign.

She said: “Together, Fairtrade and 38 Degrees are calling for the UK Government to introduce a responsible business law – levelling the playing field for businesses who are already doing the right thing for farmers, and ensuring the people around the world who grow our food are paid fairly.”

For her part, Veronica Hawking, Campaign Director at 38 Degrees, which now numbers some two million people having signed up to its overarching causes of promoting social justice, believed that the time for action was upon us.

She said: “Most of us don’t think about where our favourite cup of coffee or chocolate bar came from. But behind every coffee is a farmer often paid so little they can’t plan for next year, let alone cope with a changing climate. More than 99,310 people have already told the Government that isn’t good enough. Andy Burnham and this Government have a chance to back farmers like Martin with real, enforceable rules on fair pay. We’ll be in Liverpool making sure they hear it.”