Helvetas closes Fairshop store and online store
The development organization Helvetas is closing its Zurich Fairshop store as well as its online store. This is what the Handelszeitung writes in its current issue.
"By mid-year at the latest, the store in Zurich and the online store will be closed," confirms Stefan Stolle, responsible for marketing, communications and the fair store at Helvetas. The Swiss aid organization is a pioneer with regard to fair trade articles and founded the trend of fair trade in Switzerland over thirty years ago.
Now Helvetas is becoming a victim of its own success: Because fair trade products have become mainstream and major distributors are also focusing on this trend, the organization will withdraw from the direct sale of fair trade products, as Stolle announced. Compared to other suppliers, the organization had a size disadvantage; the fair trade store could therefore no longer be operated profitably.
The Fairtrade Shop recently turned over around 3 million Swiss francs, three quarters of which went through the online channel. Many of the articles from the fair store will be available in the future through Claro stores. A longseller will also survive: the Helvetas panorama calendar, which was launched in 1973.
