A DIRECTORY of Fairtrade shops is being launched for Cheshire West and Chester.

Listing more than 160 businesses and organisations which stock two or more Fairtrade products, the directory will allow shoppers to recognise participating partners and think more carefully about the products that they buy.

The Co-op in Whitby is one of the businesses listed in the directory, which will be launched on September 30.

Each company will receive a certificate for their pledge, as well as a window sticker making them recognisable as a Fairtrade outlet and to remind shoppers to look for Fairtrade products.

Councillor Kate Birtwistle, Cheshire West and Chester’s Member Champion for Fairtrade said: “Cheshire West and Chester Council is delighted to be supporting local businesses and directly helping farmers and producers in the developing world through this initiative.”

The directory booklet is available in libraries across Cheshire West and is available online from http://tinyurl.com/348hgb6