UK Supermarkets Accused of Prioritizing Profits Over Human Rights Amid Forced Labor Allegations

A Labour Member of Parliament has stated that UK supermarkets seemingly offering items connected to slave labor in China could be “complicit in putting profits above human rights.” These remarks from Sarah Champion follow a BBC Eye Investigation which indicated that tomato puree available at four major UK supermarkets—Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, and Waitrose—reportedly contained tomatoes cultivated through severe and coercive forced labor in Xinjiang. Certain products in question feature “Italian” in their name, while others include “Italian” in their description. All supermarkets whose merchandise underwent testing had previously challenged the BBC’s conclusions, just as China consistently refutes claims of employing forced labor in its westernmost province. During an urgent question session in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Champion characterized the UK’s product labeling as “weak and confusing.” The chairwoman of the International Development Select Committee additionally advocated for increased consumer access to information regarding the origin countries of product ingredients and for more robust legislation to effectively prohibit the importation of goods manufactured with forced labor. Champion asserted that UK supply chains are “awash with Uighur forced labour products” due to human rights due diligence being “optional” for British businesses. She declared, “To supermarkets, I say, all of you are complicit in putting profits above human rights and I hope the British public do the right thing and make their mark with their pocket, in their wallet.” The BBC Eye’s “Blood on the Shelves” investigation revealed that 17 products in total—predominantly own-brand items sold by UK and German retailers—are likely to contain Chinese tomatoes, according to testing commissioned by the BBC World Service. The majority of Chinese tomatoes originate from the Xinjiang region, where their cultivation is associated with forced labor involving Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim minority groups. The United Nations accuses the Chinese state, which perceives these minorities as a security risk, of torture and abuse. China, however, denies compelling individuals to work in the tomato industry, stating that workers’ rights are legally safeguarded. It claims the UN report is founded on “disinformation and lies.” Former Conservative party leader, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, also commented on the BBC Eye investigation, reiterating Champion’s demand for an effective prohibition on such products, supported by criminal penalties. Business and Trade Minister Douglas Alexander addressed the inquiries in the House of Commons, expressing his concern. He stated that the government was reviewing the Modern Slavery Act and would “approach the company in question to try to establish more clearly the exact facts that underlie those deeply worrying reports.” Alexander further asserted that “we need to send a clear and unequivocal signal that no company in the United Kingdom that operates under the existing statutory framework should have any forced labour whatsoever in its supply chain.” The calls for new legislation made on Monday follow a statement from the Parliament Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Baroness Hayman of Ullock, who indicated that Defra was “looking at labelling as a way to better inform consumers.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Details concerning their approach to external linking are available.