Neumarkt inspires: special price for fair trade in Munich!

Neumarkt inspires: special price for fair trade in Munich!

There is reason to be happy in the Bavarian city of Neumarkt: On November 4, 2025, the city was awarded a special prize as part of the “Capital of Fair Trade” competition. Neumarkt prevailed against 91 competitors from 13 federal states. The jury was particularly impressed by the redesign of the “Weltwinkel 360°” world store and the remarkable collaboration with the South African partner municipality Drakenstein. The award ceremony took place in the old Munich town hall, where the city received prize money of 10,000 euros, as mittelbayerische.de reports.

The competition, which takes place every two years, honors cities, municipalities and districts in Germany that are committed to socially responsible and ecological production conditions. Neumarkt was not only active with the new direction of the world shop, but was also able to look back on a long-standing tradition of fair trade. The city won this prestigious competition back in 2019. Neumarkt is also the initiator of the Fair Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg.

Innovative world store

The world store “Weltwinkel 360°” opened in 2024 and impresses with a concept that is based on feedback from customer surveys and workshops. It not only serves as a sales room for products, most of which come from Drakenstein, but also as a popular place for meetings and exchanges. The selection of regional products is particularly highlighted, including wine, mustard and balsamic vinegar. Events in the Weltladen also offer the opportunity to find out more about the producers from Drakenstein who are closely connected to Neumarkt - Drakenstein became the first Fairtrade City in South Africa in 2020 thanks to the inspiration of the people of Neumarkt.

While Neumarkt proudly presents its innovation, other cities are also showing impressive performances in the competition. The city of Ludwigsburg took first place in the “medium-sized municipalities” category, while Lübeck positioned itself at the top among the large municipalities. A total of 13 excellent municipalities were counted, including the excellent city of Dortmund, which also impressed the jury with its special focus on sustainable procurement as part of EURO 2024. The participation of 92 municipalities demonstrates Germany's strong commitment to fair trade, as can be found on staedtetag.de.

Commitment to fair trade

In Neumarkt people appreciate the values ​​of fair trade and show that even small and medium-sized communities can achieve great things. The city purchases products and services worth around 500 billion euros every year and has set itself the goal of creating fair and sustainable standards. The approach to promoting fair products from Drakenstein is part of a far-reaching concept based on the principle of global trade.

Neumarkt's commitment shows that hard work and creative approaches pay off and that the city is making an important contribution to promoting fair trade in Germany. The special award is not only an honor, but also recognition for the exemplary cooperation with international partners such as the community of Drakenstein.

We look forward to the many more ideas and events that Neumarkt will implement in the future to further spread and live the principles of fair trade. The city will not only become an important player in the region, but also a shining example for everyone who advocates for fairness in trade.