Did you choose your coffee shop based on its "fair trade" coffee? Fair trade ensures that the people producing the coffee profit fairly when they sell their beans to a big company. In this way, people in developing countries aren't taken advantage of by the free market. It's a good thing.
However, as with any product, the buyer should beware. For the bigger, national chains, using Fair Trade-certified coffee isn't a decision motivated by conscience -- it's a decision motivated by the bottom line. If a store's ethical stance is important to you, make sure they carry those values throughout their entire business and product line. Also, make sure the coffee you're purchasing is actually Fair Trade-certified. Some corporations have started marketing their coffees with certifications that sound a lot like Fair Trade, but actually aren't.
