New Fairtrade Fortnight research shows rising concern about food security

New research shows rising public concern about the impact of climate change on food supplies, as the people growing tea, coffee, cocoa and bananas for the UK say they need urgent fair pay to withstand unprecedented climate challenges and protect crops

A new study released for the start of Fairtrade Fortnight (21 September - 4 October 2026) reveals this summer's record heatwaves and droughts across the UK and Europe have sharply increased public concern about food security. 84% of British adults say they are concerned about the impact of climate change on the UK's food supply, with over a quarter (26%) now "much more concerned" than before. Concern is even higher among young people: 69% of 16-24-year-olds say this summer made them more worried about climate impacts on food.

The research, undertaken by Kantar for the Fairtrade Foundation, also shows that while 56% of people were already aware that climate change is contributing to higher prices for everyday staples like coffee, tea and chocolate, over a third (34%) were not - suggesting significant room for public education as climate shocks intensify.

In the past year Fairtrade coffee producers in Sumatra have been impacted by flooding, banana plantations in Colombia devastated by strong winds, and hailstorms reduce tea yields by around a third for some smallholder farmers in Kericho, Kenya.

To mark the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, the charity is launching its Fair Pay Campaign, calling for living incomes for the farmers who grow some of the UK's favourite products, including tea, coffee, cocoa and bananas. Fairtrade is urging shoppers, businesses and the UK Government to commit to fair pay for farmers overseas, so they can afford a decent standard of living for all household members, and can invest in climate-smart farming, protect their livelihoods and build more resilient food supply chains.

The campaign highlights that farmers cannot adapt to climate change while living on low wages. A living income would give farmers the means to invest in measures such as irrigation, shade trees, soil restoration and crop diversification, helping them withstand increasingly unpredictable weather.

The new research reveals strong public backing for fairer pay for farmers:

74% support increasing payments to farmers growing tea, coffee, cocoa and bananas to help them respond to climate change.
78% are concerned about the impact climate change is having on the prices of products they regularly buy.
Among takeaway coffee drinkers, 65% say they would pay a few pence more if it helped farmers protect future coffee supplies.

Eleanor Harrison, CEO at the Fairtrade Foundation said: "This summer's extreme weather has been a stark reminder that food security cannot be taken for granted. If we want resilient food supplies, we must invest in the people who produce our food. Paying farmers fairly, both in the UK and around the world, is not just the right thing to do; it is essential to securing the crops and products we all rely on.

"With the Prime Minister now settled in, we expect the Government to show greater ambition on responsible business legislation. Forty per cent of the UK's food is imported, making resilient global supply chains a matter of national interest. Stronger legislation can help protect farmers and workers from exploitation, safeguard future food supplies and reduce the risk of rising food prices."

Fairtrade warns that without a trade system that works for the people who grow our food, the future of products like coffee is at risk. One of the UK's most popular drinks, 43% of people surveyed say coffee would be very difficult to go without for a week. Yet Arabica coffee - the variety used in most coffee shops - is highly sensitive to rising temperatures, and suitable growing areas are shrinking.

Meanwhile many of the 125 million people who depend on coffee farming live on £1-2 per day. In the UK, for every £3.70 spent on a cup of coffee, producers typically retain only 4p - around 1% of the retail price.

Visiting the UK for Fairtrade Fortnight, Martin Kinyua, coffee farmer and Manager at Mutira Coffee Cooperative in Kenya, said: "Climate change is one of the biggest challenges that we are facing as a cooperative and as smallholder farmers. Unpredictable weather patterns mean we no longer know when the rains will come - yet coffee farming depends entirely on rainfall. When you cannot predict the seasons, you cannot plan when to buy or apply inputs, and that affects the entire harvest. It is only thanks to the fairer price we receive by selling on Fairtrade terms that we have been able to take measures to adapt to the changing climate and continue growing coffee."

The Fairtrade Foundation is calling for Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) legislation to ensure businesses take responsibility for the people and environments behind their supply chains. More than 107,000 people have already signed a petition calling for a responsible business law.

During Fairtrade Fortnight, hundreds of events will take place across the UK focusing on the theme of Fair Pay, with Fairtrade groups and campaigners hosting coffee mornings to show how everyone - shoppers, businesses and government - can support farmers like Martin.