Worldshops (Wereldwinkels) in The Netherlands

The Worldshop is a progressively inspired commercial and idealistic institution, which is committed to the trade in products from developing countries. The first Worldshop in the Netherlands opened in Breukelen in the summer of 1969, soon more followed.

Worldshops in The Netherlands

Tienda de Comercio Justo en los Países Bajos

Weltladen in den Niederlanden

荷蘭的世界商店

In the Netherlands, the Worldshops were organized under the National Association of Wereldwinkels. This network is a member of the International Federation of Fair Trade (IFAT), later known as the WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization). The products are purchased without intermediaries for ‘fair prices’. There are, however, trading partners and importers. This is the only way of development cooperation that takes place on the basis of absolute equality. Some of the food that the store sells carries the Max Havelaar quality mark.

Boutiques du Monde aux Pays-Bas

Мировые магазины в Нидерландах

Order Image 13.425

Wereldwinkels in Nederland

The Worldshop idea arose after the failure of the second United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in 1968. The sugar cane campaigns were intended to demonstrate how world trade functions and how rich countries systematically impose high import taxes on products from developing countries (sugar was 50 cents at the time. per kilo), which prevented these countries from selling their products in the rich countries.
Besides cane sugar, coffee and tea were among the basic products. Over the years, the range was broadened with handicraft products such as rugs, cushions, figurines and bags. In 2009, the number of stores in the Netherlands was approximately 400 and in the whole of Europe it was approximately 3000.