21 Nov 2025
UK: Migrant crews on tuna fisheries supplying to major UK retailers allege severe abuse, incl. violence, excessive hours & being trapped at sea for years; incl. cos. comments
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: China
Other
Not Reported ( Fishing ) - Employer , Not Reported ( Supermarkets & grocery ) - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Right to FoodSource type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: China
Companies
Tesco - Buyer , Waitrose (part of John Lewis Partnership) - Buyer , Morrisons - BuyerOther
Not Reported ( Fishing ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Work & ConditionsResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: The supermarkets said they are urgently looking into the claims.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: China
Companies
Morrisons - Buyer , ASDA - Buyer , Sainsbury's - Buyer , Tesco - BuyerOther
Not Reported ( Fishing ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Work & ConditionsResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: The supermarkets said they are urgently looking into the claims. Sainsbury’s added it had not sourced any own-brand products from Chinese or Taiwanese vessels for the last three years.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: China
Other
Not Reported ( Fishing ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Work & ConditionsResponse
Response sought: No
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: China
Other
Not Reported ( Fishing ) - Employer , Not Reported ( Supermarkets & grocery ) - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
ViolenceResponse
Response sought: No
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: South Korea
Companies
Waitrose (part of John Lewis Partnership) - Buyer , Sainsbury's - Buyer , Dongwon Industries - Employer , Marks & Spencer - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Restricted mobility , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Forced Labour & Modern SlaveryResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: All named companies were invited to comment by the journalists. The Korean authorities and the company that owns the vessels said they are now taking steps to improve conditions for workers. Waitrose and Sainsbury’s also said they are reviewing conditions on the Korean fleets along with a joint supplier and have a plan to address them. Dongwon 205 has since been sold by Dongwon Industries.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: South Korea
Companies
Dongwon Industries - EmployerOther
Not Reported ( Supermarkets & grocery ) - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Restricted mobility , Forced Labour & Modern SlaveryResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: The Korean authorities and the company that owns the vessels said they are now taking steps to improve conditions for workers. Dongwon 201 has since been sold by Dongwon Industries
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: South Korea
Companies
Dongwon Industries - EmployerOther
Not Reported ( Supermarkets & grocery ) - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Restricted mobility , Forced Labour & Modern SlaveryResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: The Korean authorities and the company that owns the vessels said they are now taking steps to improve conditions for workers.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: South Korea
Companies
Dongwon Industries - EmployerOther
Not Reported ( Supermarkets & grocery ) - BuyerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Location unknown , Fishing , Gender not reported , Unknown migration status )Issues
Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Restricted mobility , Forced Labour & Modern SlaveryResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: The Korean authorities and the company that owns the vessels said they are now taking steps to improve conditions for workers.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 21 Nov 2025
Location: Papua New Guinea
Other
Not Reported ( Supermarkets & grocery ) - Buyer , Not Reported ( Fishing ) - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Indonesia , Fishing , Men , Unknown migration status )Issues
Illness , Restricted access to medicines , Retention of identity documents , Wage Theft , Debt Bondage , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Occupational Health & SafetyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: The owners of the vessel said they “deeply regret” his health issues but denied they provided inadequate medical care or delayed treatment. They also said he was advised to seek medical attention before departure but declined. Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency said an investigation into the case concluded that there was no evidence delayed medical treatment led to the worker's paralysis. There was also no evidence he was charged recruitment fees, that he was made to take out a loan, that he was misled about pay or that he had his ID taken.
Source type: News outlet
"The dark truth behind supermarket tuna"
…this is the first time allegations have been directly linked to products on sale in British supermarkets…
…Ship tracking data shows South Korean vessels spending excessive hours fishing while operating there and extended periods of time at sea without visiting port — both signs of forced labour…
…The Korean authorities and the company that owns the vessels said they are now taking steps to improve conditions for workers.
Waitrose and Sainsbury’s also said they are reviewing conditions on the Korean fleets…
Squeezed by low retail prices and rising costs, some fleet operators have turned to lower-paid migrant workers to save money…
One of the Chinese longline fisheries where workers reported abuses has been used by Wm Morrison, Tesco and Waitrose, while the other has supplied Morrisons, Asda, J Sainsbury and Tesco.
The supermarkets said they are urgently looking into the claims…
The South Korean longline fishery containing vessels spending extended periods of time at sea without visiting port is used by seven UK retailers, including Marks and Spencer…
Dongwon Industries, owner of the South Korean vessels, said it already guarantees crews six hours’ consecutive rest and five days’ annual port leave…
The owners of Bunanda’s purse seine vessel said they “deeply regret” his health issues but denied they provided inadequate medical care or delayed treatment…