Fairtrade and organic fruit juiceīrazil is the world’s top exporter of orange juice, growing 60% of the world’s juice oranges. Freshly squeezed – Juice is extracted from the fruit and used immediately.‘Not from concentrate’ is often thought of being a better-quality juice than ‘from concentrate’ but there is no difference in them nutritionally, and they have both been pasteurised.Ĭhilled and freshly squeezed juices are more expensive, but although they may have the edge on flavour, nutritionally they are the same as long-life juices.Not from concentrate – Juice is extracted from the fruit in the country of origin and then lightly pasteurised and frozen or chilled and transported to the country where it will be packed.Fruit juice packers then reconstitute the juice by adding back the water. The concentrated juice is usually frozen and shipped to the country of use for packing. From concentrate – Juice is extracted from the fruit and the water content is reduced in the country of origin.Happily, there are some smaller, more ethical alternatives, although Fairtrade brands are thin on the ground. The market is dominated by the two big US soft drinks megaliths – PepsiCo and Coca-Cola – neither of which make a Fairtrade or organic variety. They are covered in the Soft Drinks guide. Juice drinks have sugars, sweeteners, preservatives, flavourings or colourings added to fruit juice. Many of the companies in this guide also make vegetable juice and smoothies but we focus on the ethics of fruit juice here. We would recommend avoiding the fruit juice brands owned by these two companies: The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are both notorious for human rights abuses in their supply chains.
Is the fruit grown locally? You will reduce your carbon impact if you buy juice or fruit made from locally grown and seasonal fruit. Juice that is ‘from concentrate’ or sold as a concentrate also cuts down on transportation costs because it weighs less. The nutritional value is the same as chilled or freshly squeezed, although it might not taste as good. Is it refrigerated or concentrated? Cut down on energy by only buying long-life juice that does not need refrigerating. Look for glass bottles to cut down on waste and resources used, or make your own juice at home. Is it in a plastic bottle? The plastic in our oceans could circle the planet 400 times and is threatening marine ecosystems.
We also recommend James White organic juices (glass bottles), Co-op Fairtrade orange juice (Tetra Pak), and Calypso Fairtrade orange juice and apple juice (Tetra Pak, available from Traidcraft). Biona comes in glass or Tetra Pak and sells organic apple. Suma sells concentrated apple juice (makes 3-4 litres) in glass. Pip Organic comes in Tetra Paks or recycled PET bottles. Look out for juice from your local small-scale organic farm. Buying local, organic fruit will also minimise food miles and the environmental impact from agrochemicals. Is it homemade? Squeezing juice at home means that you can put it straight into the glass, or reusable glass bottles, thereby cutting down on packaging. Is it organic? Apples frequently make it into the Pesticide Action Network’s ‘dirty dozen’ list of most pesticide-contaminated produce, along with grapefruit, strawberries, pears and grapes. Look for organic fruit juice to avoid ingredients contaminated with these chemicals and to protect farmers and the environment.
Look for Fairtrade juice to make it more likely that the workers growing the fruit are treated fairly. Is it Fairtrade? Precarious employment, extreme low wages, excessive working hours, poor health and safety, discrimination, and anti-unionism are all common for workers on fruit farms, particularly Brazil's orange groves. What to look for when buying fruit juice:
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