UK: Buy only Fairtrade chocolate, urges Archbishop

A leading religious figure in the UK has urged consumers to shun all chocolate that is not certified as Fairtrade.

The Archbishop of York cited a report that claimed child labour is being used to produce cocoa in Africa.

Citing a report from the University of Hull and Anti-Slavery International, Dr John Sentamu said only buying Fairtrade chocolate would end the "21st century iniquity" of child labour.

"Let me ask you a question and present you with a challenge," the Archbishop said in a lecture given to church and community leaders in the UK town of Hull last night (31 October).

"Will you promise to buy only Fairtrade chocolate from now on? If you can't find it in your favourite shop, ask to see the manager and say that you will only buy goods which are not produced by slave labour.

"Say you want to trade fairly. Will you promise? If you keep that promise, you could be playing your part in ending a 21st century iniquity."

Stop The Traffik, a UK-based campaign to end child labour and trafficking, claims that over 12,000 trafficked children are working on cocoa plantations in the Ivory Coast. The African country produces over 43% of the world's cocoa beans and is a key part of the supply chain in the multi-billion pound chocolate industry.

Ruth Dearnley, project director for Stop the Traffik, told just-food today that once consumers become aware of the link between child labour and their favourite chocolate, they will "vote with their feet".

"We want people to look at the chocolate they eat and think about these issues as they are unwrapping it," Dearnley said.

Dearnley said the chocolate industry had stopped short of pledging that they would not use cocoa that was farmed using child labour. She added: "Only Fairtrade chocolate will give you that traffick-free guarantee, a guarantee that you cannot get anywhere else."

UK retailers including The Co-op and Marks & Spencer have introduced Fairtrade chocolate into their ranges and Dearnley called on the sector to do more in helping to eradicate child labour. "Retailers need to be more aware of what they are stocking on their shelves."

Switzerland-based Barry Callebaut, one of the world's largest producers of chocolate and cocoa, has four factories in the Ivory Coast. The company declined to comment and referred just-food to UK-based industry body Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Association (BCCCA).

The BCCCA could not be reached for comment as just-food went to press. However, the association gave the following statement on the issue to the UK newspaper The Times: "The cocoa-chocolate industry is working in partnership with the governments of Ghana and Ivory Coast, and non-governmental organisations, on the ground to ensure that the lives of cocoa farmers, children and families are improved and supported in a variety of ways."