Chocolate. Easter. Grandchildren

I do toy/ book for my grandchildren, but add chocolate from a fairtrade firm. Everyone happy !

The documentary showed that a ‘fair trade’ firm did not pay enough to the farmers.

I think that Divine do..

I have bought a small egg and furry toy for each grandson, in the sure knowledge that the chocolate will be eaten by their parents. One grandson is 3; the other 4 months. I wish I had known about the child employment and the Russian connection before I had bought them. I'll be more circumspect in the future.

Yes, I had posted on another thread re the programme but have asked to have it removed to post here. Unfortunately, like others I had purchased before I saw the programme. I will definitely review my purchasing, in particular before Christmas or birthdays. I was rather shocked by the allegations, but sadly not surprised.

I think that Tony Chocaloney is very ethical.

That's the trouble Fanny, I have no clue as to where to buy ethical chocolate! M&S or Co-op???

mokryna I watched a Channel 4 Dispatches programme ‘Cadbury Exposed’, that was shown on 4th April - is this the programme you meant?

There was no Fairtrade firm mentioned in the programme. Fairtrade pays a guaranteed and fair price for its chocolate and a bonus goes to the local community to pay for projects agreed by the local farmers to benefit local people.

Here is a link to some suggestions for Fairtrade Easter eggs

www.fairtrade.org.uk/media-centre/blog/fairtrade-easter-eggs/

Thank you Litterpicker, no it wasn't Fairtrade in that programme,but another company that was meant to have the same kind of ethos.

I didn't see the programme but read that Cadburies, or rather Mondelez, the company that now owns them, had set up their own charity foundation to run their fair trade organisation, but on terms that gave the cocoa farmers less and Mondelez more

The founders of Cadburies, good upright and serious quakers with a sense of social justice and treating workers justly, must be spinning in their graves.

I have avoided Cadbury's and bought Divine abd Waitrose own brand.

Never have done chocolate eggs for G'children just because it has always seemed a very expensive way to buy chocolate. We usually create a 'hunt' around the garden with an ice-cream or hot chocolate from the cafe in the park (a very rare treat indeed!) as the prize.

Litterpicker Yes this is the one and thank you for clearing the point of ‘fair trade’.

I have always just bought small chocolate eggs for DDs & DGC but add a small gift too.. used to be clothes when they were little but as they are older this year I have bought little tin eggs and will put a fiver folded in them!

I was so focussed on the Fairtrade point that I forgot to answer any of your other excellent questions, mokryna ?

I have usually bought whatever chocolate eggs DGCs say they want plus a book when they were younger but would like to find alternatives. I was thinking small plants or seeds for the younger ones. The older ones always want money but I will probably still buy some sort of Easter chocolate from one of the Fairtrade suppliers. I will look out for more alternative suggestions on this thread ?

I haven’t tried Tony Chocaloney yet FannyC but I know they are ‘goodies’ on the ethics front.

Never given it a thought really.
If I want to buy chocolate I just do.

I have sent my daughter a box of Hotel Chocolat which she loves. A large Galaxy egg and a £20 not for teenage grandson. His step grandma have him £100 for Easter.

I hadn't really given it any thought but definitely will from now on. It seems that nothing stands up to scrutiny. My DD and the GC are coming over Easter day in the afternoon. Apparently oldest GC is going to a club and may not be up too early. Think that I may have to rethink that Peter Rabbit chocolate I bought.....

I am getting GS an Easter gift from a local chocalatier. His products are delicious and I prefer to support local businesses. I’ve also bought him a book. GD is too small for chocolate so has a new outfit.