Fairtrade calls for UK ‘responsible business’ law to protect cocoa farmers

Easter is on the horizon. So chocolate, and therefore cocoa, is in the spotlight. The Fairtrade Foundation is calling on the UK government to introduce a mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) law. It could provide protection for cocoa farmers and workers around the world from poor working conditions, volatile prices and exposure to environmental harms.

Whilst some chocolate companies are already doing the right thing, many are not. Without additional regulation and investment, many cocoa farmers and other agricultural workers will continue to remain exposed to low incomes, human rights abuses and environmental harms across global supply chains.

New research into cocoa production

New Fairtrade research involving almost 500 cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire found 58% said climate change impacts on production (including changing weather, pests and disease) are their biggest challenges as farmers. In many cocoa-growing countries, climate chaos has driven increasingly volatile prices and deepening financial instability for farming communities.

With one of the busiest chocolate-buying moments of the year fast approaching, Fairtrade is urging shoppers to look for the FAIRTRADE Mark. It’s also calling on the public to sign its petition demanding decisive government action to ensure cocoa supply chains are fair to both people and planet.

This call for change comes at a time when rising chocolate prices are also reshaping what UK shoppers choose to buy. The Fairtrade Foundation commissioned new consumer research from Kantar for the next phase of its Do it Fair campaign, Fair to People.

It reveals that two thirds (65%) of UK adults have changed their chocolate-buying habits in the past year due to rising prices. Over a third (35%) say they are buying less chocolate, while 3% report they have stopped buying it altogether.

Despite this shift in purchasing behaviour, most chocolate buyers remain unaware of the challenging realities behind their favourite treats. One in four (25%) believe the cocoa in their Easter eggs is grown by farmers earning more than £10 a day. In reality, most will be earning less than the international poverty line of around $3 a day, leaving them unable to support their family and farms.

The survey also shows strong public support for fairer treatment of cocoa growers. More than half of UK adults (54%) say they would be willing to pay more for chocolate if it guaranteed fairer pay and rights for farmers (rising to 73% among 16–34 year olds).

Volatile cocoa markets

These findings come amid extreme volatility in global cocoa markets. Prices surged in 2024 and 2025, driven by climate change, erratic weather, and a rise in pests and diseases that devastated harvests in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire – the world’s largest cocoa-producing countries.

Prices have since dropped for a range of reasons, including weaker demand and increased global supply, but geopolitical instability is fuelling fresh concerns about renewed volatility. That volatility is already having profound consequences for cocoa-growing communities.

Many farmers who are already living on extremely low incomes face even greater uncertainty, and many urgently need long-term investment to build resilience. Choosing Fairtrade chocolate helps ensure their families can thrive through the Fairtrade Minimum Price and additional sums of money to invest in their farm or communities, and offering training and programmes that address human rights and environmental challenges.

Fairtrade tackling exploitation and instability

Fairtrade Foundation’s senior sustainable sourcing manager for cocoa, Marina El-Hasni said:

Most people aren’t aware of the exploitation and challenges faced by cocoa farmers. And even if chocolate prices ease for consumers, the long-term future of our favourite Easter treat will remain in jeopardy without meaningful investment, living incomes, long‑term contracts and regulation that holds businesses accountable for tackling human rights and environmental harms in their cocoa supply chains. Ensuring farmers are paid fairly, especially when prices are volatile, has never mattered more.

This Easter, we are urging people to look for the Fairtrade Mark on their Easter eggs so they can enjoy the chocolate knowing that farmers have been supported with fairer pay, investment in their communities and farms.

And as the Government concludes its Responsible Business Conduct Review, we urge Ministers to put fairness for farmers and workers at the heart of UK supply chains by introducing a new responsible business law.

One young cocoa farmer, Dora Atiiga, from Kukuom Union co-operative in Ghana, is bringing about positive change in her community. Dora’s leadership journey began when she joined Fairtrade’s Women’s School of Leadership. She said:

Since then my life has changed… I am now able to advocate on living income and climate action… without fear or panic.

The practical training in financial management, confidence‑building and project planning helped her understand not only her rights as a woman, but also her potential as a community leader. As she gained leadership experience, Dora began identifying issues in her own community:

Since there was no school for little children in my community, I decided to start one as a dream.

The school is now registered with around 170 students, eight teachers, and a cook – offering free care and education to families in her community.

Featured image via Nipah Dennis / Fairtrade Foundation