The role of RED in fairer trading

This FT article about cotton production and the development of more Fairtrade clothing ranges, notably by M&S, sums the role of initiatives like RED and Fairtrade thus "Brands can add a lot of value, but part of their appeal is their exclusivity, and the higher price that enables a less efficient supply chain to exist will also limit demand for its output. At the very least, it should help connect those producers with consumers who want to know exactly what they are wearing or eating, and to whom the benefits will go. Perhaps Fairtrade and Product Red ought to be judged not on whether they fundamentally change the world trading system, which they won’t, but whether they can pull some marginalised producers into the one we have".