(L-R) Jean-Louis Zeien, President of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg; Geneviève Krol, Director of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg;
Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu
On Wednesday 12 August 2026, Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg presented their 2025 review at a press conference at their premises in Roodt-sur-Syre.
The press conference, led by Jean-Louis Zeien, President of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg, and Geneviève Krol, Director of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg, focused on the performance of the Fairtrade market in Luxembourg in 2025 and detailed the main trends that have shaped the sector across the year, including the development of the new product categories, the performance of “fair & local” products and the role of stakeholders committed to fair trade in the Grand Duchy.
Jean-Louis Zeien began the press conference by welcoming those in attendance before speaking of the ongoing impacts of climate change on Fairtrade producers in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly those in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and the challenges they are facing due to extended periods of heat, extreme flooding and increased crop failures because of disease.
He then detailed how Luxembourg compares to other countries in the average spend per capita on Fairtrade goods, with Luxembourg spending €90 per inhabitant, ranking it among the most committed Fairtrade markets worldwide. Switzerland tops the international ranking at 119 Swiss francs (€127) per inhabitant, with Luxembourg’s neighbours Germany at €37, Belgium at €29 and France at €22.
Jean-Louis Zeien then moved on to the subject of Fairtrade gold, which has been mined and traded according to the standards of the Fairtrade International. He detailed that sales of the ethically mined metal have increased five-fold notably under the effect of the decision by the Banque et Caisse d’Épargne de l’État (Spuerkeess Bank) to offer exclusive Fairtrade gold bars in 5g and 10g formats.
Growth was also seen in the trade of “white gold” - Fairtrade cotton - sales of which increased by 102% in 2025 compared with 2024. Jean-Louis Zeien noted that the Rethink Your Clothes campaign, commissioned by the Luxembourg Cooperation and implemented by the NGO Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg in 2025, contributed to positive momentum towards more responsible textile consumption and sales of 126 tonnes of the material were supported by a one-off initiative with partner Cactus involving household textiles.
In relation to Fairtrade food products, Jean-Louis Zeien reported that cocoa remains a flagship fairtrade product in Luxembourg, with 704 tonnes of Fairtrade cocoa used in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 15%. Fairtrade banana sales also increased, with 2,353 tonnes sold in 2025 (+3%), making one-in-three bananas consumed in Luxembourg of the Fairtrade variety.
Geneviève Krol then detailed how Luxembourg now has 32 companies which hold a Fairtrade licence, 38 municipalities participating in Fairtrade Luxembourg’s “Fairtrade Gemeng” programme and 27 establishments participating in its “Fairtrade School” programme.
She said: “These figures really show us that there is a movement of society in Luxembourg which is developing year after year. Already in 2026 we have new municipalities [signing up]. We also have new partners who have just signed Fairtrade licence contracts and this continues to motivate us.”
Jean-Louis Zeien remarked: “We have one-in-ten people in Luxembourg who see fair consumption as an urgency. I think that there is a real urgency to consume fairly.”
Reflecting on the success of 2025 for the NGO, he said: “I take this opportunity to say thank you to the whole team at Fairtrade, for really getting involved, and also to all the partners, the companies, the community, the people, the consumers, who have really helped Fairtrade to grow.”
Full details of Fairtrade Luxembourg’s 2025 reporting, and information about the NGO’s activities can be found at www.fairtrade.lu.
Caption: A display of Fairtrade products availabel in Luxembourg
Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu
