The Latin American and European conceptions of fair trade:

conscious consumption in the implementation of sustainable agriculture

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the existence of a correlation between the European and Latin American conceptions of Fair Trade and the promotion of sustainable agriculture, especially from the perspective of encouraging a conscious and an ethical consumerism. The research was pure and qualitative. The approach method was the inductive reasoning and the procedure method, the monografic. The research techniques used were documental and bibliographical analysis. It was observed that Fair Trade is a plural movement, with several conceptions and manifestations, and that it covers the various stages of trade: from production to consumption. It was found that, despite having multiple dimensions and conceptions, Fair Trade is a relevant ally in the struggle for a qualitative transformation of consumption habits. In a scenario of political consumerism, by advocating for the transparency of consumer information about products that are harmful to the environment and health, Fair Trade helps the development of sustainable agriculture and the overcoming of the harms promoted by the traditional trade model.