U.N. Report Says Sustainable Product Markets Growing Rapidly

REUTERS
Wed Nov 17, 2010 7:00am GMT

GENEVA Nov 17 (Reuters) – Markets for sustainable products, such as those with the Fairtrade label, have expanded rapidly over the past five years and are growing much faster than those for conventional goods, a U.N.-backed report said on Wednesday.

* Growth in sustainable products outpaces conventional goods

* Sales of certified sustainable coffee more than quintupled in the period to 392,347 tonnes in 2009 — representing more than 8 percent of global coffee exports and 17 percent of global production — from 73,602 tonnes in 2004;

* Sustainable cocoa sales more than tripled to 46,896 tonnes in 2008 — 1.2 percent of global sales — from 13,473 tonnes in 2003.  >>Read Full Story<<