Products of slavery in the UK

Written by David Fletcher 23 Feb 2023
Products of slavery in the UK

We are approaching the celebrations of Easter, the resurrection of Christ. As we enter Lent we may choose to fast from chocolate, phones or coffee. Right now, people are being exploited to make these everyday products. Slavery is in the supply chains of everything - the clothes we wear, the coffee we drink, the technology we use and the chocolate we eat. Slavery has been linked to the supply chains of many everyday products and commodities. Nestle, Mars and Hershey all source cocoa from West Africa, where child labour and forced labour still persist. One in three workers in Malaysia’s electronics sector may work under conditions of forced labour. Coltan and other conflict minerals in electronics devices often come from forced labour in illegal mining whose profits support armed forces. Forced labour is big business, with profits around £125 billion. Please pray that UK businesses become increasingly aware of slavery in supply chains.

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