Sorry but that's an irrational prejudice. Still, everyone's entitled to their opinion I suppose.
Andy there was a documentary about fairtrade not to long ago and from the bit I saw the conclusion on Fairtrade was that it depends totally on the scheme involved. Some are very good and match peoples' image of it as something good for the small farmer or producer. The truth can be no better than the big commodity companies coming in and dictating prices that end up passed down to the producer as barely subsistence remuneration. There are cons and success stories.
I believe there was another investigative documentary on Organic too. A lot of our organic does come from overseas and some have totally different standards that we would not recognise as organic. On top of that a lot of organic stuff like wheat IIRC ends up mixed in with non-organic wheat from Eastern Europe. IIRC that happens in GErmany or somewhere like that.
Whilst I have no problem with people buying Organic or Fairtrade in the hope that it is better for them or better for their ethics, but the truth is that most punters have no guarantee they are getting what they believe they are. (BTW see what I did? Made it sound like Fairtrade customers are buying it to feel good about themselves and it is as much about them!)
I'm with Southey. However I do most of my food shopping in Booths. I used to work in head office there and saw the invoices from their suppliers. I actually know the farms their spuds come from, their carrots and other vegetables. I grew up with my parents buying from the same farm shops of the same families that supplied Booths. I know they are quite a few generations in the family business and I even shared some of the same friends as some of them. I also know where the meat comes from. The exact farms. It is not organic (some is) but I know the farms have seen them. They produce good food that is natural and healthy. They are not organic and probably never will be. It doesnt mean their food is less healthy but on the contrary it is actually better than a lot of organic vegetables. The meats are from animals ethically treated. Treat animals well their meat will be good too. The organic tag is no guarantee that meat is good or the animals are well treated. That comes from the ethos of the farmer. That is what the farmers that supply Booths are about.
Sorry rant over. I just despise the false quality tag applied to food JUST because of the organic label applied (for an annual fee to a company called the soil association that has no real authority or status other than what they claim for themselves).