ABSTRACT
Europe and North America have seen significant growth in Fair Trade and provide rich insights into the dynamics of Fair Trade occurring in the Global North. This chapter introduces the second part of the book by exploring the social movement origins of Fair Trade and the emerging tensions as Fair Trade moves further into the commercial mainstream. At issue is the relation between the social principles of Fair Trade, and the commercial imperatives of the trading environment in which it operates. These tensions are playing out in a context where diverse elements have come together in a social movement that has successfully driven the expansion of Fair Trade, with increasingly positive responses by both retailers and consumers. The diversity of this movement is reflected both in its origins and in the different channels through which Fair Trade has evolved.
