Ben & Jerry’s commits to ‘economic justice’ for cocoa farmers

Ben & Jerry’s says it is committing itself to “economic justice” for its cocoa farmers in Côte D’Ivoire by bringing the amount it pays for the cocoa in its ice cream in line with Fairtrade’s Living Income Reference Price.

The living income is calculated to be $2.50 (£1.87) a day for cocoa farmers in the West African country. Most cocoa farmers in the region currently live in extreme poverty on less than a dollar a day, reports the Fairtrade Foundation.

In total, Ben & Jerry’s will be paying $800,000 (£606,000) over the next year, on top of the Fairtrade premium price it already pays.