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Mondelēz faces accusations of illegal child labour on farms in supply chain

6 April 2022

Mondelēz faces accusations of illegal child labour on farms in supply chain

Mondelēz International is facing allegations that illegal child labour has been found on farms in Ghana that supply the confectionery giant with cocoa. In the UK, Channel 4's Dispatches released exclusive footage on Sunday that allegedly shows children as young as ten being used to harvest cocoa pods within the Cadbury supply chain. In Channel 4's investigation, Cadbury Exposed, Antony Barnett is seen going undercover in Ghana, West Africa. Mondelēz International has urged the TV investigations team to share information following the allegations so that it can "act with the urgency required". A Mondelēz International spokesperson stated: "We’re deeply concerned by the incidents documented in the Dispatches programme. We explicitly prohibit child labour in our operations and have been working relentlessly to take a stand against this, making significant efforts through our Cocoa Life programme to improve the protection of children in the communities where we source cocoa, including in Ghana." "The welfare of the children and families featured is our primary concern and we commit to investigating further so we can provide any support needed," the statement continued. Tony's Chocolonely weighed in on the allegations, commenting: "Don’t kid yourself about child labour Cadbury. The first step in eradicating child labour from your supply chain is acknowledging it’s there. ‘Prohibiting’ it doesn’t prevent it. It is widespread throughout the chocolate industry because farmers are not paid enough, live way below the poverty line and have no choice but to use illegal labour."

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