Marketing Components and their Role on Fair Trade in Coffee Agriculture: A Scoping Review

1. Introduction

Fair Trade has established itself as a disruptive approach to market development, balancing traditional trade dynamics by promoting fairer conditions for small producers and fostering social and environmental sustainability [1,2,3]. This model challenges conventional trade structures by ensuring fair prices, reducing economic inequality and improving labor conditions in sectors such as coffee [4,5]. Its impact has generated greater global awareness of fairness in supply chains, where consumers are willing to pay a higher premium for ethical products. In Fairtrade International reported [6] that more than two million farmers and workers in 68 countries have improved their livelihoods in a sustainable way, addressing issues such as human rights and gender equity [6]. In this context, marketing plays a crucial role in connecting Fair Trade values with consumers, making it possible to communicate the added value of these products and differentiating them from conventional ones [7]. This relationship is key because marketing not only positions Fair Trade products in the market, but also educates consumers about the positive impacts of their purchases, incentivizing ethical consumption [8,9]. In addition, marketing helps to bridge the gap between intentions and actual actions of ethical consumers, who require clear information to opt for sustainable products [10,11]. To analyze this relationship, three dimensions need to be addressed: Macromarketing (MM), strategic marketing (SM) and operational marketing (OM).

1.1. Macromarketing

Macromarketing focuses on analyzing systems in a broad context, considering how marketing decisions impact society, the environment and the global economy [12,13]. Unlike micromarketing, which focuses on specific tactics implemented by organizations and studies consumer behaviors, macromarketing addresses more complex issues, such as sustainability and social welfare [14,15,16]. This approach promotes more ethical marketing by considering the impact of business decisions not only on companies, but also on communities and the environment [17,18]. In Fair Trade, macromarketing addresses global inequalities by regulating social, environmental and economic aspects in international markets [4]. In Latin America, one of the main industries that has incorporated this way of articulating business is the coffee industry [19]. Fair Trade initiatives in the coffee industry have improved the welfare of producers by offering more equitable trading conditions, guaranteeing a minimum price to producers. This additional income has improved living conditions in farming communities and, in some cases, has allowed them to resist pressure from large industries that threaten their land [19]. One example is the case of Peru, where Fair Trade certified farmers have increased their income thanks to better prices on the international market, which has allowed their children to have greater access to education. In Mexico, additional income has also facilitated school attendance, although educational attainment depends on local infrastructure, and in Nicaragua, although improvements in health have been limited, Fair Trade has provided certain economic benefits that improve living conditions and access to education [20]. However, other studies have shown that much of the value generated in the supply chain remains with retailers and processors in consuming countries, reducing the direct economic impact on producers [21].

1.2. Strategic Marketing

Strategic marketing refers to the set of integrated decisions that an organization makes in terms of products, markets and marketing resources to generate and deliver value to customers, which is essential to achieve its objectives [22]. Although there are different approaches to its classification and functions, there is consensus that from the organizational focus centered on marketing decisions, its function encompasses understanding consumer behavior, segmentation and targeting strategies, branding strategy decisions, analysis of the environment and competition, and ensuring the organization’s strategic compliance [22,23]. Its role is key for Fair Trade organizations, as it facilitates market segmentation, allowing the identification of consumers who value ethical and sustainable products [7,24,25]. Coffee companies involved in Fair Trade target ethical consumers, motivated by moral and environmental reasons [10,26]. Studies such as [27] analyze how ethical values influence the purchase of Fair Trade coffee, while research by authors [28] highlights the use of authenticity as a positioning strategy in the competitive coffee market. In addition, [19] examines how personal values impact the willingness to pay more for ethical products in the coffee industry, connecting strategic marketing with ethical consumer behavior. Another important factor in companies related to Fair Trade is differentiation, which is fundamental to positioning themselves in areas of sustainability, as has occurred massively in Western Europe, where Fair Trade labeling has promoted an increase in ethical consumption [29].

1.3. Operational Marketing

Operational marketing, based on the 7P’s (price, promotion, product place, people, processes and physical evidence), refers to the tactics to be executed to achieve the proposed objectives of the organization [30]. In the case of product tactics, they must meet the expected quality standards and communicate their contribution to sustainability [31]. Price tactics should reflect the added value that consumers are willing to pay for improving the welfare of producers [32]. Place tactics should ensure product accessibility, while promotion should effectively communicate the benefits derived from Fair Trade. Physical evidence, such as labeling, should build trust by ensuring ethical standards [30]. The process is key to transparency in the supply chain, and people, both employees and consumers, are critical to maintaining trust in the brand [33]. In the coffee industry, these elements have proven to be crucial in aligning ethical products with consumer expectations. Communication campaigns and labeling have reinforced consumer trust in fair products [34,35], while packaging and the organization of collective actions have been essential in highlighting the transparency and sustainability of brands [19,27].

What are the main thematic areas addressed by marketing (macromarketing, strategic marketing, and operational marketing) in the literature on Fair Trade in the coffee industry? How do these areas contribute to the development of organizations and society? and what is the geographical scope of the reported cases, considering the distinction between core and peripheral countries in terms of development? The aim of this study is to conduct a scoping review of the literature on marketing (macromarketing, strategic marketing, and operational marketing) in the context of Fair Trade in the coffee industry, to identify its contribution to the development of organizations and society, and to analyze the geographical scope of the reported cases, considering the distinction between core and peripheral countries in terms of development.

2. Materials and Methods

This work about marketing components in Fair Trade coffee studies uses the scoping review, a specific typology within review studies [36], the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines [37], in particular PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) [38], and the PICOS (Participants, Interventions, Comparators, Outcomes and Study Design) strategy to establish eligibility criteria for articles [39], whose protocol has been registered in Zenodo [40], under the modified PROSPERO format recommended by Tricco et al. [38].

According to the current checklist of the PRISMA-ScR guidelines [38], the following quality steps for systematic reviews were verified according to these items: (1) title, (2) structured summary, (3) rationale, (4) objectives, (5) protocol and registration, (6) eligibility criteria, (7) information sources, (8) search, (9) selection of sources of evidence, (10) data charting process, (11) data items, (12) critical appraisal of individual sources of evidence, (13) synthesis of results, (14) selection of sources of evidence, (15) characteristics of sources of evidence, (16) critical appraisal within sources of evidence, (17) results of individual sources of evidence, (18) synthesis of results, (19) summary of evidence, (20) limitations, (21) conclusions, and (22) funding. The initial search for articles was performed using bibliometric procedures [41].

2.1. Information Sources and Search Strategy

We used a set of articles from two databases, with equivalent search vectors and without additional restrictions (such as period of years or types of documents), reporting double indexing and both report citations, relying on the Web of Science - Core Collection (WoSCC)[42] and Scopus [43], selecting articles published in journals indexed in these databases, from a search vector on Fair Trade Coffee in WoSCC: { TS=(Fair NEAR/0 Trade NEAR/0 Coffee) }, and Scopus: { TITLE-ABS-KEY(Fair W/0 Trade W/0 Coffee) }. We used the thematic search tag TS (searching simultaneously on title, abstract, author keywords, and Keywords Plus^®), and the word proximity operator (NEAR/0) that simultaneously incorporates contiguous words that make up the concept of Fair Trade coffee. Equivalently in Scopus we searched in Title, Source title, Author Keywords, and Index Keywords, and we used the word proximity operator (W/0). Providing coverage for the PRESS 2015 guideline statement [44].

2.2. Eligibility Criteria

The selection of articles was based on the following eligibility criteria: target population (participants), interventions (methodological techniques), elements of comparison of these studies, outcomes of these studies, and study designs (the criteria of the PICOS strategy as shown in Table 1).

2.3. Study Selection and Data Extraction

As a first step, according to the search strategy, a first extraction of documents from WoSCC and Scopus databases was carried out on August 27, 2024.

Then, duplicates were manually removed. Then, the titles and abstracts of articles were checked for relevance by two researchers (A.V.-M, and N.C.-B.). Subsequently, they independently reviewed the full texts of potentially eligible articles. Any disagreements were discussed with a third researcher (J.M.-L.), until a consensus was reached.

According to the eligibility criteria declared in Table 1, we then excluded letters, editorial materials, reviews, and documents containing only abstracts. Articles that were not related to the concepts of marketing components in Fair Trade coffee were excluded (this process was repeated in the full document detail review). In addition, articles not written in English were non excluded (other full-length documents written in French and Spanish).

The data items in phase one correspond to 64 fields per record in WoSCC and 46 fields per record in Scopus, as detailed below. WoSCC: 1) Authors, 2) Book Authors, 3) Book Editors, 4) Book Group Authors, 5) Author Full Names, 6) Book Author Full Names, 7) Group Authors, 8) Article Title, 9) Source Title, 10) Book Series Title, 11) Language, 12) Document Type, 13) Conference Title, 14) Conference Date, 15) Conference Location, 16) Conference Sponsor, 17) Conference Host, 18) Author Keywords, 19) Keywords Plus, 20) Abstract, 21) Addresses, 22) Affiliations, 23) Reprint Addresses, 24) Email Addresses, 25) Researcher Ids, 26) ORCIDs, 27) Funding Orgs, 28) Funding Name Preferred, 29) Funding Text, 30) Cited Reference Count, 31) Times Cited, WoS Core, 32) Times Cited, All Databases, 33) 180 Day Usage Count, 34) Since 2013 Usage Count, 35) Publisher, 36) Publisher City, 37) Publisher Address, 38) ISSN, 39) eISSN, 40) ISBN, 41) Journal Abbreviation, 42) Journal ISO Abbreviation, 43) Publication Date, 44) Publication Year, 45) Volume, 46) Issue, 47) Special Issue, 48) Start Page, 49) End Page, 50) Article Number, 51) DOI, 52) DOI Link, 53) Book DOI, 54) Early Access Date, 55) Number of Pages, 56) WoS Categories, 57) Web of Science Index, 58) Research Areas, 59) IDS Number, 60) Pubmed Id, 61) Open Access Designations, 62) Date of Export, 63) UT (Unique WOS ID), and 64) Web of Science Record [45]. And Scopus: 1) Authors, 2) Author full names, 3) Author(s) ID, 4) Title, 5) Year, 6) Source title, 7) Volume, 8) Issue, 9) Art. No., 10) Page start, 11) Page end, 12) Page count, 13) Cited by, 14) DOI, 15) Link, 16) Affiliations, 17) Authors with affiliations, 18) Abstract, 19) Author Keywords, 20) Index Keywords, 21) Molecular Sequence Numbers, 22) Chemicals/CAS, 23) Tradenames, 24) Manufacturers, 25) Funding Details, 26) Funding Texts, 27) References, 28) Correspondence Address, 29) Editors, 30) Publisher, 31) Sponsors, 32) Conference name, 33) Conference date, 34) Conference location, 35) Conference code, 36) ISSN, 37) ISBN, 38) CODEN, 39) PubMed ID, 40) Language of Original Document, 41) Abbreviated Source Title 42) Document Type, 43) Publication Stage, 44) Open Access, 45) Source, and 46) EID [46].

2.4. Quality Assessment, Risk of Bias, and Results Synthesis

In a first phase of quality assurance, a critical evaluation of the articles included was carried out, using the focus on marketing components in Fair Trade coffee as a discriminant comparator, being an outcome of interest to observe the diversity of thematic categories selected.

The risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed according to Campbell et al. (2014) in the case of theoretical articles and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) scale will be used for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies [45]. The MMAT scale is a valid measure of the methodological quality of the article. Two authors will review the studies independently, and a third author will be incorporated to settle tiebreakers.

Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), a checklist used in systematic reviews based on synthesis of qualitative and quantitative evidence, includes criteria for the evaluation of mixed studies; it defines the study category, and 7 items are applied according to a score from zero to one, to obtain a final percentage mean. Studies are considered as high quality > 75%, moderate quality 50–74%, and low quality < 49%. Studies with values below 75% were excluded from the category analysis and discussion [46].

As a synthesis of the results, we have used comparative elements of the selected articles, contributing to the process of establishing categories of study on the marketing components of Fair Trade coffee. As outcomes, we have focused on the constructs studied and the items that compose or disaggregate these constructs.

3. Results

Firstly, the result of the PRISMA analysis summary provided a total of 174 records identified through the Web of Science (WOS) database and 158 additional records obtained from the SCOPUS database, resulting in 257 unique records after duplicates were removed. During the screening process, 232 records were excluded for not being related to marketing, and 11 additional records were excluded for not being quantitative studies, leaving a total of 25 records for further evaluation. Subsequently, 14 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, of which 4 were excluded based on criteria related to the MMAT method. Finally, 10 studies were included in the final synthesis as shown in Figure 1.

3.1. Results from the Description of the Selected Articles

The ten selected articles span a publication range from 2007 to 2021, reflecting the evolving academic interest in the impact of Fair Trade in the coffee industry. Published in high-impact journals such as Food Research International, Sustainability, and Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, these studies stand out for their interdisciplinary focus. They address topics such as consumer preferences for specialty coffee [47], sustainable branding strategies [48], personal values and willingness to pay for Fair Trade coffee [49], and the subjective quality of life of producers in Latin America [50]. Additionally, they include research on ethical consumer motivations [51,52] and the benefits of Fair Trade on producers’ income, education, and health [53].

Other studies analyze factors influencing producers’ engagement with cooperatives in Mexico [54] and value capture through market disintermediation [55]. This timeline highlights a shift from a focus on producer benefits to a more consumer-oriented analysis promoting ethical values. The table below provides details on each article, including authors, study design, geographic origin, and key findings, as seen in Table 2.

The geographic distribution of studies reveals a concentration of research in specific countries, reflecting the focal points of Fair Trade coffee’s impact and consumer behavior. The United States stands out with the highest frequency of studies, highlighting its significant role as a consumer market and its emphasis on ethical consumption and sustainability in coffee production. Latin America, particularly Nicaragua, Peru, and Guatemala, is another key region, with multiple studies addressing the socioeconomic effects of Fair Trade on coffee producers. These countries are pivotal due to their central role in global coffee production and their reliance on Fair Trade systems to improve producer outcomes. The map visually represents the frequency of studies conducted in each country, with varying shades of blue indicating the concentration of research. Lighter shades represent countries with a single study, such as Germany, Mexico, South Korea, and New Zealand, reflecting emerging or specialized research areas, while darker shades highlight countries with higher frequencies of studies, such as the United States and the combined regions of Nicaragua, Peru, and Guatemala, which together account for three studies. This gradient illustrates the intensity of academic focus on regions, emphasizing the dual importance of consumer markets in developed countries and production regions in developing nations. Additionally, South Africa, Mexico, and New Zealand contribute to the diversity of perspectives, focusing on unique consumer motivations and market strategies, while Germany and South Korea emphasize consumer preferences and ethical considerations in non-coffee-producing countries. This geographic distribution demonstrates both the global reach of Fair Trade coffee research and the need for more extensive exploration in underrepresented regions to gain a comprehensive understanding of its impact, as illustrated in Figure 2.

3.2. Results Studies Macromarketing

Three of them [50,53,56] conducted studies in Peru, Nicaragua and Guatemala and one of them [54] in Mexico. Their focus was on conducting a quantitative descriptive study in the producing areas by measuring according to self-report questionnaires the perception of improvements in quality of life in different dimensions. Geiger-Oneto et al. analyzed [50] how Fair Trade improves the quality of life for coffee producers in Nicaragua, Perú and Guatemala, emphasizing the role of cooperatives in enhancing their well-being and examining its broader social and economic impact on global relationships between producers and consumers, the findings show that farmers in Fair Trade cooperatives report higher quality of life, improved income, and a more positive outlook for their families’ future. Arnould et al.’s [53] studies assessed whether Fair Trade fulfills its core value proposition by improving the income, education, and health of small coffee producers in in Nicaragua, Perú and Guatemala, examining its social and economic impact and connecting consumers and producers within a global ethical trade system.

3.3. Results Studies Stategic Marketing

Research included in the strategic marketing category addresses the influence of personal values, psychological characteristics and positioning strategies on consumers’ decisions regarding Fair Trade coffee. Ufer et al. [47] and Paetz et al. [48] highlight that personality traits such as extraversion, responsibility and openness are positively associated with a greater willingness to pay premium prices for sustainable and Fair Trade products. In Fair Trade International reported [6] identify that humanitarian values and knowledge about Fair Trade are key determinants in segmenting consumers according to their predisposition to purchase these products. In terms of motivations, Darian et al. [51] note that regular consumers especially value the ethical and community benefits associated with Fair Trade, while Hwang et al. [52] observe that ethical consumption motivations are mostly driven by individualistic factors, such as self-fulfillment, rather than empathy towards producers. Finally, Murphy et al. [55] discuss how incorporating Fair Trade into brand positioning strategies can influence consumer perceptions, although they note challenges related to price and product quality expectations. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the psychological, ethical, and social dimensions of consumer behavior to develop more effective marketing strategies. However, they also highlight significant limitations, such as the disconnection between the strategic narratives employed in recipient markets and the actual impacts on producer communities. This systematized information can be seen in Table 3.

The cross-matrix analysis highlights the differentiation between central and peripheral countries in the study of marketing within agricultural contexts, particularly in Fair Trade coffee research. In central countries, strategic marketing emerges as the dominant focus, with studies in Germany, the United States, South Korea, and New Zealand addressing issues such as consumer behavior, market segmentation, sustainability branding, and positioning strategies. These topics reflect the advanced market dynamics and consumer-driven priorities characteristic of developed economies, where ethical consumption and branding play a pivotal role in promoting Fair Trade coffee. However, no cases were identified in macromarketing or operational marketing, indicating potential gaps in examining broader systemic influences or logistical aspects in these regions.

In peripheral countries, such as Nicaragua, Peru, Guatemala, and Mexico, the emphasis shifts to macromarketing, with research concentrating on cooperativism, quality of life, and the impacts of Fair Trade on health and education. These studies underscore the developmental dimension of Fair Trade marketing, focusing on the socioeconomic well-being of producers and the systemic benefits of cooperative models. South Africa stands out as a unique case within strategic marketing in peripheral regions, with research exploring humanitarian values, consumer knowledge about Fair Trade, and the willingness to pay premium prices. Notably, operational marketing remains absent across both central and peripheral countries, revealing an opportunity for further investigation into the operationalization and supply chain aspects of Fair Trade in the agricultural marketing domain. This matrix illustrates the divergent focal points in marketing research, shaped by the socio-economic and market realities of central and peripheral regions, while also highlighting areas requiring deeper exploration to fully understand Fair Trade’s role in agriculture.

4. Discussion

This study provides a comprehensive review of the literature on Fair Trade marketing within the coffee industry, focusing on macromarketing, strategic marketing, and operational marketing. It emphasizes the contributions of these areas to the development of organizations and society while analyzing the geographical scope of reported cases, highlighting distinctions between core and peripheral regions. The findings reveal key patterns and notable gaps in the scope and focus of current research.

At the macromarketing level, studies such as Geiger-Oneto et al. [50] and Arnould et al. [53,56] emphasize the positive, albeit modest, contributions of Fair Trade to improving the quality of life and economic well-being of producers in cooperatives. These benefits include increased income, access to education, and better healthcare services. However, these improvements are often uneven and limited by the structural challenges prevalent in peripheral countries, particularly in regions with weaker institutional frameworks and resource constraints. Furthermore, the geographical concentration of macromarketing studies in Latin America leaves critical gaps in understanding the experiences of producers in Africa and Asia, where socioeconomic contexts and challenges differ significantly. Additionally, there is a notable absence of studies in operational marketing across all regions, and limited exploration of strategic marketing in peripheral areas, particularly in Africa and Asia. This underscores the need to broaden the geographical and thematic scope to include diverse contexts and challenges faced by producers in these regions.

In strategic marketing, studies such as Ufer et al. [47] and Paetz et al. [48] highlight the importance of segmentation, positioning, and consumer education in promoting Fair Trade in central markets. These strategies effectively leverage consumer preferences, humanitarian values, and knowledge about Fair Trade to drive willingness to pay a premium for ethical products. However, research, such as Hwang et al. [52], reveals that these motivations are frequently self-oriented, focusing on consumer identity and self-actualization rather than genuine concern for producer conditions. This disconnect suggests an opportunity to align central market narratives more closely with the realities of producer communities in peripheral regions.

Operational marketing, which bridges strategic narratives and on-the-ground impacts, is notably underrepresented in the literature. Despite the critical role of operational processes such as certification, logistics, and resource allocation, these aspects remain insufficiently explored. The limited focus on smaller or resource-constrained cooperatives, particularly in Africa and Asia, exacerbates the disconnect between ethical narratives and the practical challenges faced by producers. This gap hinders Fair Trade’s potential to deliver transformative outcomes in peripheral communities and weakens its value proposition in core markets.

5. Conclusions

In conclusion, this study underscores the essential role of Fair Trade marketing in advancing ethical consumption in core markets while addressing the socioeconomic challenges of producer communities in peripheral regions. Macromarketing research demonstrates that Fair Trade contributes to modest improvements in income, education, and health for producers, though these benefits are often constrained by systemic limitations. Strategic marketing has successfully mobilized consumer demand through effective segmentation and positioning strategies, yet the narratives often prioritize individualistic motivations over genuine connections to producer realities. The virtual absence of operational marketing research further highlights critical gaps in understanding the practical implementation of Fair Trade principles, particularly in underrepresented regions such as Africa and Asia.

By promoting more equitable trade practices, Fair Trade helps improve the income and quality of life of producers, especially in rural communities in developing countries, thereby strengthening their economic and social well-being. Additionally, Fair Trade promotes environmental sustainability by prioritizing environmentally friendly production methods, reinforcing the impact of SDG 12. Furthermore, the strengthening of cooperatives and community networks in these regions facilitates access to education and healthcare services, aligning with the goals of quality education (SDG 4) and ensuring healthy lives (SDG 3). Together, Fair Trade not only benefits producers and consumers but also reinforces the foundations of a more equitable and sustainable global development.

To address these limitations, future research must focus on expanding the scope of Fair Trade studies to encompass the diverse socio-economic contexts of Africa and Asia, where challenges differ significantly from those in Latin America. Operational marketing should become a priority area for research, with a focus on optimizing logistical processes, reducing certification costs, and supporting smaller, resource-constrained cooperatives. Furthermore, strategic narratives in core markets must evolve to authentically represent the challenges and achievements of producer communities, bridging the gap between consumer expectations and producer realities. By addressing these gaps, Fair Trade can strengthen its ethical value proposition, foster deeper connections between consumers and producers, and drive meaningful socioeconomic transformations in the most vulnerable contexts.