A NORTH-EAST ethical retailer has teamed up with a leading UK wholefoods distributor to launch an online Fairtrade grocery store.

Suma Co-operative has teamed up with Gatesheadbased Ethicalsuperstore.com to create a site stocking a full range of Fairtrade groceries.

Launched during Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs until March 7, sumamarket.coop stocks more than 2,000 products, with a further 3,000 to be added soon.

Ethicalsuperstore.com, which operates from the Team Valley, already has a strong reputation in the ethical sector, and is the only retailer to promote the full product ranges from Fairtrade pioneers Cafedirect and Divine Chocolate.