When people stop buying the job may be done

For nearly 15 years I have been selling fairtrade products (from Traidcraft, the UK's original and biggest fairtrade wholesaler) at the church I go to, and to family and friends.

First, this was a case of helping out others; more recently I have been buying stock in myself. And it's something I have really enjoyed doing, particularly being involved at a stage when the reaction of most people was 'fair what?' And when you couldn't find fairtrade products in your local supermarkets for love or money.

Over the last 18 months though, things have been changing. People 'understand' (kind of) the idea, and 'get' that in some way fairly traded products are good and right, even if they don't buy them all the time. And now most categories in your local Tesco have some things to offer (where fairtrade options are a possibility). As a consequence, I've seen my direct sales plummet, to the point where I can't afford to do it any longer.

I could argue with people that it is still better to buy from Traidcraft - as a charity, all their profits are reinvested in third world development, a double whammy in terms of the impact you have, whereas Tesco's profits just go on keeping their share holders fat and happy.

But instead I've decided to call it a day, and see it as a job well done, where my little bit helped kick start a society wide behaviour change that's been a long time coming.

Just have to ask 'what next' now!?