“Many UK growers ‘intend to walk away from SMETA’, BGA survey reveals”

Almost half of respondents say they will either leave the ethical audit or sign up to an alternative if forced to pay travel and visa costs of seasonal workers

… A survey by the British Growers Association (BGA) has underlined the extent of producers’ concerns about proposed changes to the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA), which they must pass to supply UK retailers.

Sedex, the global organisation behind the standards, is due to implement the changes in the latest version of the audit, SMETA 7.0, from 10 September 2024.

Almost a quarter (23 per cent) said they intend to resign their membership of Sedex if the changes come into force.

Meanwhile, a further 23 per cent said they would stay in Sedex but sign up to GRASP or another ethical audit instead of SMETA.

That means that almost half (46 per cent) intend to walk away from SMETA 7.0.

Some 37 per cent said they would use SMETA 7.0 – if retail buyers agree that they do not have to meet the ‘employer pays’ and ‘credible living wage’ sections of proposed audit…

FPJ gave Sedex the opportunity to respond to the BGA survey, but the company had not replied at the time of publication.