October marks Fairtrade Month and Healthy Planet, Canada’s largest organic grocery retail chain and wellness e-commerce platform, has launched its largest Fairtrade campaign to date, focused on educating customers, spotlighting Fairtrade-certified brands, and encouraging conscious consumer choices.
In partnership with Fairtrade Canada, Healthy Planet says it is ensuring that all educational efforts are authentic and aligned with global Fairtrade standards, further strengthening its commitment to ethical retailing.
“Fairtrade is deeply ingrained in the DNA of Healthy Planet,” said Monica Walker, Head of Food and Grocery at Healthy Planet. “Supporting ethical sourcing, fair wages, and sustainable farming is not just a campaign for us; it’s a core part of our ethos. This Fairtrade Month, we want to empower our customers to make informed choices that positively impact communities and the planet.”
In-store, shoppers will see educational signage, shelf talkers, and audio announcements that explain the impact of Fairtrade, from fair wages to sustainable farming practices. Specially curated end caps feature a wide range of Fairtrade-certified brands, offering limited-time discounts on popular products, including Balzac’s Coffee, Organic India, Camino, Zazubean, Traditional Medicinals, Galerie Au Chocolate and more.
Ashish Khera, Head of Marketing at Healthy Planet, said Fairtrade has always been part of Healthy Planet’s ethos with its focus on fair wages, ethical sourcing, and sustainable farming embedded in how it operates.
“This year, we wanted to take that commitment further by launching our largest Fairtrade campaign yet, to help Canadians better understand the impact of their choices. In the current global context, where consumers are increasingly conscious about the social and environmental footprint of what they buy, this campaign allows us to use our national platform to educate and inspire meaningful change,” he said.
Khera said Healthy Planet curated a mix of trusted Fairtrade-certified brands that align with both its customers’ preferences and Fairtrade Canada’s certification standards.
“The selection includes everyday essentials like coffee, tea, and chocolate products, where Fairtrade practices make a measurable difference to producer communities. Brands such as Balzac’s Coffee, Organic India, Camino, Zazubean, Traditional Medicinals, and Galerie Au Chocolat were chosen not only for their certification but also for their long-standing commitment to ethical trade and sustainable sourcing,” he said.
Khera said Healthy Planet can measure the impact of its Fairtrade initiatives both for producers and for Canadian consumers in two ways:
- Producer impact: It partners with Fairtrade Canada to ensure all featured products meet rigorous global standards for fair pay, safe working conditions, and sustainable farming;
- Consumer impact: In Canada, its focus is on education and behaviour change. We monitor in-store participation through end-cap engagement, shelf talker interest, and Fairtrade product sales, alongside digital metrics such as campaign reach and consumer sentiment. This dual measurement helps it assess both awareness and tangible support for Fairtrade brands.
“Education is at the heart of this campaign. In-store signage, audio messages, and digital storytelling are designed to make Fairtrade’s impact clear and personal-from explaining how fair wages uplift communities to showing how sustainable farming protects ecosystems. Success is tracked through engagement metrics, Fairtrade product sales growth during the campaign period, and customer feedback from our digital and in-store touchpoints. These insights inform how we continue to evolve our advocacy for ethical retailing,” explained Khera.
“The key is integration, not addition. Ethical retailing doesn’t have to compete with commercial goals-it can enhance them. By incorporating Fairtrade-certified products into existing categories and educating consumers on their value, independent grocers can increase basket sizes and customer loyalty. We’ve seen that when shoppers understand the “why” behind a product, they’re willing to support it. Partnering with credible organizations like Fairtrade Canada and leveraging co-marketing opportunities helps ensure both profitability and purpose.”
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