A U.S. human rights law firm has filed a lawsuit against the Swiss chocolate manufacturer Lindt, accusing the company of falsely advertising its opposition to child labor while continuing to purchase chocolate ingredients produced by child labor.
In a complaint submitted to a federal court in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, the nonprofit legal advocacy organization International Rights Advocates, based in the U.S. capital, alleges that Lindt is procuring cocoa from Ghana and Ivory Coast, where child labor is used in the production process to make chocolate.
The organization points out in the lawsuit that despite Lindt’s assurances to consumers that it is working to eliminate child labor from its supply chain, responsibly source materials, and uphold children’s rights and human rights, the cocoa industry giant has been misleading consumers by continuing to “extensively use child labor in its cocoa supply chain” and profiting from it for over two decades.
“Lindt has publicly committed to actively ending this abusive practice in its supply chain and moving towards responsible, sustainable cocoa sourcing,” the complaint states. “However, in reality, Lindt continues to profit from child labor and has taken minimal steps to stop it.”
According to the complaint, the consumer-grade cocoa beans used in Lindt’s chocolate production are 100% sourced from Ghana, with cocoa butter sourced from Ivory Coast.
International Rights Advocates has also sued other companies such as Mars, Mondelez, and Nestlé, accusing these food manufacturers of relying on child labor to produce chocolate.
A spokesperson for Lindt stated in an email to several media outlets including Reuters on Thursday, “Lindt takes the issue of child labor very seriously, strongly condemns the use of child labor in any form, and denies the allegations in this lawsuit. We have established supplier guidelines and systematically investigate cases of suspected child labor in our supply chain.”
The company also released a “Modern Slavery Statement” discussing its “tailored strategies” to reduce the risk of child labor, including following certifications from the Rainforest Alliance.
(Reference: Reuters)