Globalised slavery: how big supermarkets are selling prawns in supply chain fed by slave labour

Gimpymoo · 13 Jun 2014 at 14:39

http://www.theguardian.com/global-d...slavery-supermarket-supply-trail-prawns-video

A six-month Guardian multimedia investigation has, for the first time, tracked how some of the world's big-supermakets, Tesco, Aldi, Walmart and Morrisons, are using suppliers relying on slave labour to put cheap prawns on their shelves. Slavery is back and here's the proof. Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Not unexpected.

When will people wake up and realise the the cost of items they want is actually much more than they are prepared to pay? Not just the food sector but everywhere.

krooton · 13 Jun 2014 at 14:50

And that's why I shop at Sainsburys *Jimmy Carr head bobble*

HazardO · 13 Jun 2014 at 14:54

I'm always being told by people that waitrose is too expensive. It's sad that people value things purely on a financial basis and ignore quality or ethics.

Rather than consume less but consume quality, ethically produced products they are more interested in consuming more at a lower price point.

uv · 13 Jun 2014 at 16:59

Wow :/

I was (naively) unaware this was an issue. So is it the case that prawns at Sainsbury's and Waitrose are definitely not farmed with illegal trash fish or slave labour?

Rroff · 13 Jun 2014 at 17:01

Gimpymoo said:
http://www.theguardian.com/global-d...slavery-supermarket-supply-trail-prawns-video

Not unexpected.

When will people wake up and realise the the cost of items they want is actually much more than they are prepared to pay? Not just the food sector but everywhere.

Even stuff like battery manufacturing would shock a lot of people I think if they could see it from start to finish.

EDIT: For clarity I'm talking about electrical not poultry.

HazardO · 13 Jun 2014 at 17:22

uv said:
Wow :/

I was (naively) unaware this was an issue. So is it the case that prawns at Sainsbury's and Waitrose are definitely not farmed with illegal trash fish or slave labour?

I wouldn't say they are always perfect, but waitrose make more effort than most to support responsible and suistainable farming.

Glaucus · 13 Jun 2014 at 17:29

Why can't we just pass a law stating if imported food doesn't comply with uk laws, then it can't be imported. It's like pork we import cheap crape, are farmers aren't allowed to produce that way. The whole industry is a disgrace and all the labelling schemes are the same.

cainer · 13 Jun 2014 at 18:29

Rroff said:
Even stuff like battery manufacturing would shock a lot of people

Lartyconshayo · 13 Jun 2014 at 21:04

Didn't beeb three do a reality series a couple of years ago where they sent four to six average folks to live with prawn farmers. Then tuna processors and some other manual labour based food industry peoples. Think a lot was in Asia.

PapaLazaru · 13 Jun 2014 at 21:11

HazardO said:
I'm always being told by people that waitrose is too expensive. It's sad that people value things purely on a financial basis and ignore quality or ethics.

Rather than consume less but consume quality, ethically produced products they are more interested in consuming more at a lower price point.

I almost always shop at Waitrose now. The quality is far better in my opinion on fresh goods and the price is not much more than the others.

cainer · 13 Jun 2014 at 22:53

PapaLazaru said:
I almost always shop at Waitrose now. The quality is far better in my opinion on fresh goods and the price is not much more than the others.

my local waitrose is ~200 paces from my front door, it used to be a safeway store, im glad they changed.. waitrose own brand stuff is great, im loving their BBQ range atm