Demand Fair Trade Flowers from ProFlowers and Albertson's Floral Market

Every year, thousands of people give and receive fresh cut flowers for holidays such as Valentine's Day without ever thinking about where they come from. The reality is that many come from countries in Central and South America and Africa, places where workers' rights are not always a top priority.

The U.S. flower market gets its supplies mainly from Colombia and Ecuador, where workers are continually exploited. Thousands of women in Colombia work in the flower industry, where half report that they have been the victim of sexual harassment or assault while on the job. On average, women are forced to work 70-80 hours a week, picking around 400 carnations a day, although the amount can double around holidays like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

Some of the world's largest flower distributors—ProFlowers and Albertson’s Floral Market--provide no information on where their flowers come from, nor do they offer any Fair Trade options. They should follow the example of 1-800-Flowers, which instituted a new Fair Trade line in time for this Mother’s Day (not Valentine’s Day, sadly!) in response to pressure from activists.

Don't let your expression of love contribute to the exploitation of thousands of women. Tell major flower distributors to promote workers' rights and sell only Fair Trade flowers.