Traidcraft PLC – a Christian group that has spent years campaigning for fair trade – has gone into administration.

The stands were familiar to many churchgoers, with almost 3,000 churches in the country selling Traidcraft products at some point in their 40-year history.

The brand, which has struggled for a number of years, cited the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and soaring energy prices as the reasons behind the severe financial difficulties.

The group has published an open letter alerting customers of the decision to call in the administrators.

The letter reads: “It is heartbreaking to bring the Traidcraft plc story to an end in this manner but we can at least take some consolation from the knowledge that we have been a major force for good in the ethical retail sector for over forty years.

“We have championed the cause of trade justice to the point where we now have better standards and procedures in place to protect the rights and dignity of growers and producers all over the world.

“We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to all those who have journeyed with us as employees, board members, shareholders and suppliers. We would particularly like to thank our loyal band of ‘Fairtraders’, many of whom have been with us since the very beginning.”