The Sunday Times February 6, 2022 13NEWS
Tony’s gets its beans from Ghana and
Cote d’Ivoire. It then uses the Swiss firm
Barry Callebaut, one of the world’s largest
chocolate manufacturers, to turn these
into liquid chocolate on a production line
segregated from the rest of the factory, to
ensure traceability.
Barry Callebaut identified 21,258 cases
of child labour in its supply chain, accord-ing to a report. Critics say working with
Barry Callebaut allows the company to
save money, but Tony’s said it paid “more
to ensure our cocoa beans are fully segre-
gated”.
Ayn Riggs, founder of Slave Free Choc-
olate, said Tony’s was “pitching virtue to
consumers” but was “completely
dependent on its relationship with BarryNEITHER HIDE NOR HAIR
Anti-slavery chocolatebrand finds 1,700 child
workers in supply chain
The anti-slavery chocolate brand Tony’s
Chocolonely has admitted that at least
1,700 child labourers were involved in
making its confectionery last year.
The company, whose motto is “let’s
make chocolate 100 per cent slave-free”,
has been backed by the actor Idris Elba,
who said in an advert: “What’s not to love
about chocolate? Well, two million chil-
dren working illegally on cocoa planta-
tions. That’s unfair.” Yet in the year to
April 2021, Tony’s found 1,701 cases of
child labour in its supply chain, a huge
rise from 387 the previous year.
Child labour refers to illegal work
undertaken by under-18s that involves
dangerous and harmful tasks or work that
deprives them of dignity or education. It
does not include children working legally
or carrying out light work.
In Waitrose, a recent set of Tony’s
special-edition bars, costing from £3.50,
bears slogans such as “What does inhu-
man/injustice/inequality mean to you?”
The company, set up in the Nether-
lands, said its intention was to raise
awareness of child labour and modern
slavery in the cocoa industry.
In the cocoa industry, children are rou-
tinely found using machetes, applying
chemicals and performing other hazard-
ous tasks on plantations, according to
campaigners.
The number of child labourers used by
Tony’s suppliers was revealed in its
annual “fair report” which said: “While
we’ve never found any cases of modern
slavery in our supply chain, we do find
cases of child labour. But before your
alarm bells go off, know this: finding cases
of child labour in the supply chain means
change is happening. We want to find the
children performing illegal labour. Only
then can we work with the families to
address the problem.”Louise Eccles
Consumer Affairs EditorTony’s Chocolonely insists the discovery proves its stance on illegal practices is working
Callebaut to make and sell chocolate
which is in fact tainted by child labou-
rers”. Last year Tony’s was removed from
the Slave Free Chocolate list of “ethical
companies” — which includes brands
such as Montezuma’s and Divine —
because of its links to Barry Callebaut.
Explaining rising numbers of exploited
children in its supply chain, Tony’s said
growing sales meant it was now working
with more co-operatives. The firm said it
had “remediated” 366 cases of child
labour in 2020-21, an increase of 67 per
cent on the previous year. This can
involve interventions such as arranging
birth certificates for children so they can
attend school or vocational training.
Lise Colyer, co-founder of OmniAction,
a group working to create an independent
measure of sustainability across the food
sector, said: “This is a good example of
why it is so difficult for consumers to
make ethical choices. If someone was
walking past a Tony’s stand in a super-
market, they would think, ‘Oh, well, this
is an entirely ethical option’.” She added:
“However, it is progress that Tony’s is
accounting for the child labour in its sup-
ply chains.”
Tony’s said it had come top of an inde-
pendent survey carried out by a coalition,
including Australia-based Be Slavery
Free, which rated chocolate companies
for their sustainability and ethical supply
chain. Paul Schoenmakers, head of
impact at Tony’s, said: “We pay more to
ensure our fully traceable cocoa beans
are kept separate from Barry Callebaut’s.
This full visibility means we can state that
we have never found any cases of modern
slavery in our supply chain.”
A spokesman for Barry Callebaut said:
“We strongly condemn forced labour,
slavery and all practices that exploit both
adults and children or expose them to
harmful or hazardous conditions. Barry
Callebaut has committed to eradicate
child labor from its supply chain by 2025.”s
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SIA KAMBOU/AFP/GETTY IMAGESDANIEL LOWTH/SOLENT NEWSIn 1994 three otters were reintroduced into the River Itchen, in Hampshire.
The elusive creatures have thrived in the 28-mile chalk stream ever since