The Truth About 'Ethical' Chocolate
Child labour makes your ethically certified chocolate
Despite receiving ‘ethical’ status from ethical certifier, UTZ, cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast exploit child labour, paying wages below the poverty line and forcing them to work with dangerous chemicals.
To a Western consumer, a UTZ label is proof that the product is sustainably and ethically sourced. Farmers themselves, however, are open about using child labour. “To work in cocoa, I get them out of school”, says one Ivory Coast farmer. Posing as a chocolate brand, this investigation uncovers the full recipe of insecticide, deforestation and child labour that is behind the making of our favourite treat. “Children can still be found working under dangerous conditions on UTZ certified plantations”, claims a self-published UTZ report.
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