SHOPPERS in York are calling on supermarket giants to sell more Fairtrade bananas.

Campaigners have urged the Tesco Extra store, in Clifton Moor, to swtich to the fruit as they re-negotiate contracts with suppliers.

The campaign aims to see more of the bananas on shelves to ensure farmers and workers in developing countries are not suffering.

Fairtrade York claim farmers and workers are paying the price for the nation's cheap fruit, with many trapped in an unrelenting cycle of poverty.

But retailers who source the fruits as Fairtrade can assure their customers that despite retail price wars, farmers and workers producing the fruit continue to receive agreed, transparent prices and premiums.

Kathryn Tissiman, chairman of the Fairtrade York Steering Group, said: "Fairtrade makes a real difference for banana farmers, enabling them to trade their way out of poverty, as well as giving them visibility in the global supply chain.

"We are calling on Tesco and Asda to switch all their bananas to Fairtrade – so that we have an independent assurance that banana farmers and workers are not suffering because of supermarket price wars."

Cllr Linsay Cunningham-Cross, from City of York Council, added: "Supporting Fairtrade is just one of the ways that we can help to ensure everyone, no matter where they work, is able to earn a decent wage for a day’s work."