World News

cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/5350761

Labour MP Sarah Champion’s comments come after an investigation found that tomato puree sold in four leading UK supermarkets appeared to contain tomatoes produced using harsh and coercive forced labour in Xinjiang.

Some of the products have “Italian” in their name others have “Italian” in their description.

[...]

In an urgent question in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Champion described the UK’s product labelling as “weak and confusing".

The chairwoman of the International Development Select Committee also called for consumers to be given more information on which countries the product ingredients come from and stronger legislation to effectively ban the importing of products made with forced labour.

Champion said UK supply chains are "awash with Uighur forced labour products" because human rights due diligence is "optional" for British companies.

"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," she said.

[The investigation found that] most Chinese tomatoes come from the Xinjiang region, where their production is linked to forced labour by Uyghur and other largely Muslim minorities.

The UN accuses the Chinese state - which views these minorities as a security risk - of torture and abuse.

[...]