Photo Credit: The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF)

In September 2019, The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) launched a campaign calling on Perfetti Van Melle - an Italian global manufacturer of confectionery and gum - to end child labour and union busting in Gazipur, Bangladesh. 

The campaign was launched following reports of Perfetti Van Melle management attempting to stop the PVM Union from registering at its Gazipur factory, and union members being beaten after submitting demands to Perfetti Van Melle that included an end to the use of child labour. According to IUF, approximately 25 children were found working in the factory as of August 2019.

In October 2019, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Perfetti Van Melle to respond to allegations of union busting and child labour. Perfetti Van Melle responded and said it had found no evidence of underage workers at the factory. It also stated that it supports the formation of a workers union in Bangladesh, has met with the union to communicate its support and negotiate union demands, and has arranged training sessions for both union members and management on the local labour law.