Supermarkets criticised over ‘inhumane’ tea plantation conditions

OXFAM has criticised British supermarkets over the conditions workers face on tea and fruit plantations.

It criticised the “relentless” drive by supermarkets to cut costs and maximise profits, which fuels poverty, abuse and gender discrimination in supply chains originating in India and Brazil. Poor pay and harsh working conditions are common on farms and plantations that supply tea or fruit to supermarkets including Lidl, Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrisons, an Oxfam report said.

Workers on 50 tea plantations in Assam, India, said cholera and typhoid were prevalent due to a lack of lavatory access and safe drinking water. Half the workers received government ration cards because wages were so low.

On fruit farms in north-east Brazil, women with children reported having to rely on relatives or government support to feed their families outside the harvest season, while workers reported allergies and skin diseases as a result of using pesticides and other chemicals on farms that supply supermarkets including Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and previously Morrisons.

Rachel Wilshaw, the Oxfam ethical trade manager, said: “Supermarkets are snapping up the lion’s share of the price we pay at the till – but the workers who toil for hours to harvest tea and fruit face inhumane working conditions and are paid so little they can’t even feed their families.”

Peter Andrews, the head of sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, whose members include Lidl, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, said: “Our members are working hard to address existing injustices and continue to collaborate internationally with charities and business groups on this vital issue.”

A Tesco spokesman said: “All our tea is 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance certified and we are a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, committed to improving the lives of tea workers and ensuring minimum working conditions.”