Happy Valentine❤
I'm Mmi, a staff member (^^)

Valentine's Day is all about chocolate 🍫.
It is said that approximately 20% of Japan's annual chocolate consumption is consumed around Valentine's Day.

Chocolate is a very familiar thing that connects Japan and Africa.

Currently, 60% of the cocoa beans distributed in the world are produced in Côte d'Ivoire and the Republic of Ghana, both located in West Africa.
In Japan, 80% of its imports come from the Republic of Ghana.

Chocolate is something we usually say is delicious! It's delicious!
However, the reality is that many children work on the farms that produce the cocoa beans that are the raw material for cocoa, due to poverty.
(Of course, not all farms use illegal child labor.)

In recent years, "ethical consumption" has been attracting worldwide attention in line with the SDGs boom.
"Ethical consumption" means selecting and purchasing products and services that take into full consideration the environment and human rights.

in particular,
・Choose fair trade products → Choose products that use raw materials and products from developing countries that are traded continuously at fair prices.
・Choose eco-friendly products ➡ Buy products that use recycled materials or have certification for resource conservation, etc.
・Choose products with donations ➡ Actively purchase products where a portion of the sales will be donated
・Buy products from the disaster-stricken areas ➡ Support the economic recovery by consuming local specialty products from the disaster-stricken areas
Such consumer behavior includes:

Until now, many consumers have been unsure whether the products and services they use are
What is the background?
What kind of people are making it and where is it made?
I haven't shown much interest in the things that go on behind the scenes.
However, in recent years, if consumers find that poor working conditions are the norm or that endangered animals and plants are sacrificed in the production of those products, an increasing number of consumers are choosing not to buy those products.
This trend is particularly evident in Europe.

On the other hand, compared to the rest of the world, "ethical consumption" has yet to take hold in Japan, and interest in it is still low.
According to the Australian NGO Walk Free Foundation, Japan ranks second in the world in terms of the value of goods imported that have been produced using child labor or modern slavery.

Considering global trends, the perspective of ethical consumption will become increasingly important in the future.
If you're wondering what chocolate to buy for Valentine's Day, why not choose a fair trade product instead? It feels good to contribute to reducing child labor and the environment with small steps!

If you are interested in the digitalization of trade and logistics, please feel free to contact us (*^^*)
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