Lutterworth Foodstore Supports Local Fairtrade Steering Group

1 March 10

Lutterworth Fairtrade Steering Group has been encouraging shoppers to switch to Fairtrade at an event hosted by Midlands Co-operative Society.

Representatives from the Lutterworth Fairtrade Steering Group held a Fairtrade awareness raising event at The co-operative foodstore on George Street in Lutterworth on 25 February where they handed out information and gave shoppers the chance to enter a free raffle.

Philip Jones, Secretary of the Lutterworth Fairtrade Steering Group, said: “Fairtrade Fortnight takes place between 22 February and 7 March and it’s the ideal opportunity for us to spread the Fairtrade message over a range of events. Thanks to Midlands Co-operative Society, we have been able to offer an added incentive for shoppers to give Fairtrade products a try. Any customer buying a Fairtrade product in store during the event was entered into the raffle to win a hamper of Fairtrade goodies kindly donated by The co-operative. We’d like to thank Midlands Co-operative Society for its support and hope that people who visited the store on the day found the event both informative and enjoyable.”

Karl Walker, Manager of Midlands Co-operative Society’s Lutterworth foodstore, said: “The co-operative has supported Fairtrade from its inception and we continue to offer a broad range of products in this area. Our ever-growing range of Fairtrade products is helping thousands of impoverished growers work their way out of poverty. We welcome any opportunity to highlight the benefits of Fairtrade retailing and are more than happy to support the steering group’s activities.

“For anyone still not convinced that they should switch to Fairtrade they will have the opportunity to sample some products in store on Saturday 6 March and Sunday 7 March when we will be holding product tasting sessions.”

Throughout Fairtrade Fortnight, Midlands Co-operative foodstores across the region will be organising a number of activities as well as running in store promotions to encourage shoppers to make the switch to Fairtrade.

The co-operative was the first retailer to switch all its own-brand roast and ground coffee to Fairtrade six years ago, and two years ago it became the first retailer to switch its entire own-brand hot beverage range, including its iconic 99 Tea, to Fairtrade.

For further information please contact:

Alison Cooper / Dawn Walker / Stephen Beresford

firstname.lastname@midlandsco-op.com

T:01543-414140

Note to Editors

Midlands Co-operative Society is the largest independent retail society in the UK. It is a modern forward looking organisation which employs over 8,000 staff and has gross sales of more than £800 million. The Society’s principal areas of activity are food and non-food retail, travel, funeral services and transport. Midlands Co-operative has more than 400 trading outlets across 11 counties including; West Midlands, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Staffordshire and much of central England. Although it operates as an independent business, Midlands Co-operative is part of the co-operative movement. In January 2009 the Society took the decision to adopt The Co-operative brand across all of its retail outlets and an ambitious re-branding programme is currently in progress. Midlands Co-operative’s corporate charity for 2010 and 2011 is the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the Society has also donated approaching £1 million to over 500 local community projects within its trading area in the last five years.