Summary
The fair trade movement presents an opportunity to promote sustainable production and consumption and hence social change. In this context, it is important to consider not only whether new forms of governance weaken or strengthen states’ authority within the marketplace but also the extent to which they may allow for “green washing” instead of green economy. This study considers the fair trade of food production and consumption as a potential innovative model. It examines the existing general literature on governance, which highlights that decision-making processes tend to reproduce top-down approaches. This article builds on a sustainability governance analytical framework to deepen understandings of fair trade governance and its possible responses to the dilemmas of food production for ethical consumption and thus sustainable development in transnational relations.