Irish consumers spent €270m on Fairtrade products in 2016

Irish consumers spent over €270m on Fairtrade products last year, an increase of 9% on 2015.

Fairtrade Ireland says the economic recovery is helping to boost the number, the range, and the sales levels of ethically-produced goods.

Ireland's largest coffee brewers Bewley's aim to switch to 100% fairly-traded coffee by the end of this year.

Fairtrade Ireland has praised them for setting a benchmark for others to follow - among them the Kinsale Coffee Company and Inishboffin Island, which last year became a 'Fairtrade island'.

Other retailers like Aldi have launched fairly-traded flowers like poinsettias and roses.

Fairtrade Fortnight, which gets underway tomorrow, will encourage more suppliers to use ethically responsible sources and ensure that workers in developing countries get a fair and stable price for their produce.