Tea, cocoa, chocolate, sugar, wine, fruit juices, nuts, spices, rice and other cereals followed. The most recent addition is 'fair trade' bananas. Half of this figure comes from coffee sales. The building of production and managerial capacity among Southern producers has led to a big improvement in the quality and choice of products on offer. World shops' are now found in many busy shopping centres, opening hours have increased and window design, packaging and management have all improved.
Good use is made of the media and promotional events.
EFTA was set up in 1990 in response to the growing centralisation of decision-making and production at a European level, and in recognition of the increasingly competitive retail market. By capitalising on the specific advantages of each member, these European networks reduce individual costs and hence increase competitivity. A key aim of the movement is to raise awareness of the degrading conditions under which international trade and production is carried out, and to campaign for an improvement. To ensure that the fair trade movement's own operations comply with the proper standards, it has initiated a system of control known as 'Social Auditing', which has aroused considerable interest in both commercial and political circles. The movement has also campaigned tirelessly for the introduction of fair trade principles in legislation governing EU and Member State dealings with the South.