Fairtrade sales increase by 12%

Fairtrade sales increased by 12% last year to more than £1.3 billion, prompting claims the movement chimes with the current desire for "responsible capitalism".

The increase in sales is lower than 2010's 40% rise, but the sector continues to perform strongly despite tough economic times which saw the UK's gross domestic product, a broad measure of the wider economy, grow at just 0.8% in 2011.