Women are more likely to spend their money on eco-friendly products because they chime with their own ethical position, research has found.

A survey carried out last month by the Fairtrade Foundation showed that 63 per cent of the population who are "very positively inclined" towards fair trade and other ethical issues are female, while 68 per cent are aged over 35 and 58 per cent between 18 and 35 years of age.

When it comes to food bought in the UK, women appear more likely to think about who produced it and how it came to end up on their own plate.

Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, explained: "Globally, women produce half of the world’s food but earn only ten per cent of overall income. Fairtrade appeals to women in the UK because it’s a very practical solution to making a difference to the lives of women and their families in developing countries."

She pointed out that women still do the majority of the grocery shopping, so the fact that fair trade has held up so well throughout the recession is "largely thanks to their support".

So with World Fair Trade Day coming up on May 12th, more of us could be encouraged to purchase ethical and green products, including food, drinks, clothing and skincare.

The London 2012 Olympic Games is also likely to boost the profile of fair trade goods, with the Fairtrade Foundation hoping its wine sales will continue to increase throughout the event.

Commercial development officer Eliza Ward told Harpers: "Sales are continuing to grow - we thought that, given the economic climate, Fairtrade would have declined, but we’ve got bigger commitments from retailers."

A red, white and rose will be created for the Games, following the news that fair trade wine’s retail sales rocketed up nearly 20 per cent by value between 2010 and last year.

Posted by Sam Wallace