Shrimp slavey practice. (Photo Credit: Solidarity Center)

Further pressure exerted on food sector to curb modern slavery

UNITED KINGDOM
Friday, July 31, 2015, 01:40 (GMT + 9)

The UK Government has passed new rules with which it intends to clamp down on forced labour and human trafficking in the food sector supply chain.

In compliance with these rules, forming part of measures enshrined in the Modern Slavery Act, all businesses with a turnover of GBP 36 million (USD 56.2 million) or more will have to deliver an annual statement covering international supply chains starting in October, The Guardian reported.

This implies that major firms like Primark, Marks & Spencer and well-known food and technology brands, will have to issue this statement annually, including a prominent link on their website homepage, on how they are preventing slavery and human trafficking taking place in their supply chains.

Experts in the field told FIS.com that the measure implies a significant change, since so far most supply chain audits have been focused on ensuring the product quality and regulation compliance.

The sectors that are more vulnerable to forced labour are those where there is a predominance of low-paid unskilled labour, as it has been increasingly evident with news reports concerning the conditions of garment workers in Bangladesh, technology workers in Asia and the plight of fishermen in Thailand.

Last year, The Guardian newspaper revealed Asian slave labour in prawn production for a Thai company called CP Foods, which supplied British retailers including Tesco, Aldi and Morrisons.

In addition, earlier this month, this media source also investigated how Burmese Rohingya migrants trafficked through deadly jungle camps had been sold to Thai fishing vessels as slaves to produce seafood sold across the world.

The new regulation will apply globally to companies carrying out any part of their business in the UK.

Related articles:

- British newspaper reveals more slavery cases in seafood sector
- Journalistic research reveals 'globalised slavery' in prawn sector 

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media

Print