World Chocolate Day – július 7.

Since its inception, World Chocolate Day — marked each 7 July to commemorate cacao's first documented arrival in Europe in 1550 — has evolved from a simple celebration of indulgence into a platform for scrutinising the ethics of a notoriously opaque supply chain. Cacao cultivation remains concentrated among smallholders in West Africa, whose incomes have historically failed to keep pace with the soaring profits accrued further up the value chain by manufacturers and retailers. Certification schemes such as Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance have sought to redress this imbalance, yet critics contend that such labels risk becoming a marketing veneer rather than a substantive corrective, absent structural reforms to pricing mechanisms and land tenure. The day thus occupies an ambivalent position: equal parts confectionery indulgence and uncomfortable reminder of persistent inequities in global trade.

1. 1. How has World Chocolate Day evolved, according to the text?

   • From a European tradition into an Asian one
   • From a celebration of indulgence into a platform for ethical scrutiny
   • From a farmers' festival into a corporate event
   • From a religious holiday into a commercial one
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2. 2. What criticism is levelled at certification schemes like Fairtrade?

   • They have eliminated cacao farming inequality
   • They may be a marketing veneer without structural reform
   • They are banned in most producing countries
   • They are too expensive for consumers
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3. 3. What two issues does the text say certification schemes fail to address?

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4. 4. How does the text characterise the 'ambivalent position' of World Chocolate Day?

   • A day solely focused on marketing
   • An outdated and irrelevant occasion
   • Equal parts indulgence and a reminder of trade inequities
   • Purely a celebration with no deeper meaning
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