Oxfam study reveals exploitation of migrant workers in German supermarket supply chains; incl. company comments
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 Jun 2022
Ubicación: Costa Rica
Empresas
REWE Group - Buyer , Grupo Acón - Supplier , Lidl - BuyerOtro
Not Reported ( Agencias de empleo ) - EmployerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Nicaragua , Agricultura y ganadería , Gender not reported )Temas
Occupational Health & Safety , Right to Unionisation , Libertad de asociación , Dismissal , Freedom of Assembly , Wage Theft , Social SecurityRespuesta
Respuesta buscada: Sí, por Oxfam
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: REWE assessed the events as a clear violation of applicable law and the moral and ethical principles of the company. It announced that there would be consequences if the violations were unambiguously proven. Lidl was the only supermarket that disclosed its suppliers for pineapples, bananas, and wine from the countries in question in response to Oxfam Germany’s request. It stated that every direct and indirect business partner of Lidl was required to respect the company’s Code of Conduct if it wished to remain a partner over the long term.
Tipo de fuente: NGO
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 Jun 2022
Ubicación: Costa Rica
Empresas
Edeka Group - Buyer , Upala Agrícola. - Supplier , Lidl - BuyerOtro
Not Reported ( Agencias de empleo ) - EmployerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Nicaragua - Sector desconocido , Gender not reported )Temas
Poverty WagesRespuesta
Respuesta buscada: Sí, por Oxfam
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: Upala Agrícola denies that it hires farmworkers over contratistas and claims it is in full compliance with the requirements of the minimum wage law.
Tipo de fuente: NGO
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 Jun 2022
Ubicación: Costa Rica
Empresas
Jardín del Tigre - Employer , Fyffes - Supplier , ALDI South - BuyerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Nicaragua , Agricultura/Alimentos/Bebidas/Tabaco/Pesca: General , Gender not reported )Temas
Social Security , Failing to renew visasRespuesta
Respuesta buscada: Sí, por Oxfam
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: LDI South claimed that it had no knowledge of the allegations concerning the Fyffes banana supplier Jardín del Tigre and entered into a dialogue with the company. It said it would, if necessary, conduct an on-site review itself.
Tipo de fuente: NGO
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 Jun 2022
Ubicación: Costa Rica
Empresas
Finca Once - Supplier , Lidl - BuyerOtro
Not Reported ( Agencias de empleo ) - EmployerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Nicaragua , Agricultura/Alimentos/Bebidas/Tabaco/Pesca: General , Gender not reported )Temas
Poverty WagesRespuesta
Respuesta buscada: Sí, por Oxfam
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: Finca Once denies that it hires farmworkers over contratistas and claims it is in full compliance with the requirements of the minimum wage law.
Tipo de fuente: NGO
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 Jun 2022
Ubicación: Costa Rica
Empresas
Edeka Group - Buyer , Bellavista Fresh - EmployerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Nicaragua , Agricultura/Alimentos/Bebidas/Tabaco/Pesca: General , Gender not reported )Temas
Occupational Health & Safety , Discriminación por géneroRespuesta
Respuesta buscada: Sí, por Oxfam
Link externo para respuesta (Más información)
Medidas adoptadas: Edeka stated that it had no contractual relationship with the firms Upala Agrícola or Cítricos Bellavista. Oxfam’s research, however, was able to clearly trace the boxes of fruit in the Edeka store back to both enterprises using the GlobalGAPnumber printed on the box. One gets the impression that Edeka does not see itself as responsible for the abuses uncovered. The supermarket merely stated that all farms, from which their supplier intermediaries bought fruit, had to be certified by either GlobalGAP or Rainforest Alliance. It asserted that the governmental authorities in the producer’s country were responsible for investigating allegedly criminal conduct such as the payment of wages below the lawful minimum wage—a statement which once again underscores the company’s misconception of what constitutes meeting its due diligence obligations. Oxfam Germany has seen evidence of this misconception at Edeka for many years now. When pressed by us, the company finally said that it would take the allegations seriously and investigate
Tipo de fuente: NGO
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 Jun 2022
Ubicación: Costa Rica
Otro
Not Reported ( Agricultura/Alimentos/Bebidas/Tabaco/Pesca: General ) - EmployerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Nicaragua , Agricultura/Alimentos/Bebidas/Tabaco/Pesca: General , Gender not reported )Temas
Occupational Health & Safety , EnfermedadesRespuesta
Response sought: No
Tipo de fuente: NGO
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 13 Jun 2022
Ubicación: Costa Rica
Empresas
Del Monte Foods - Parent CompanyOtro
Not Reported ( Agricultura/Alimentos/Bebidas/Tabaco/Pesca: General ) - EmployerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: Número desconocido
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( Número desconocido - Nicaragua , Agricultura/Alimentos/Bebidas/Tabaco/Pesca: General , Gender not reported )Temas
Wage Theft , Denial of leaveRespuesta
Response sought: No
Tipo de fuente: NGO
"No limits to exploitation – migrant workers in the supply chains of German supermarkets", June 2022 [German original published 1 March 2022]
For plantation owners and companies, migrant workers are cheaper than local workers. Moreover, it is often more difficult for migrants to stand up for their rights, as they not only lose their jobs but are also at risk of deportation. Therefore, they are most affected by human and labour rights violations such as violence and exploitation, especially women.
This research uses four case studies to trace the supply chains of large German supermarkets back to the farms and growing areas. Based on on-site research and interviews with workers, the situation of migrants in pineapple and banana farming in Costa Rica and in the wine and table grape sector in South Africa is examined.
The results of the case studies show: fruits sold in German supermarkets like Rewe, Aldi, Lidl and Edeka are grown under inhumane working conditions. Migrants in particular are exploited:
- Many workers receive significantly less than the legally prescribed minimum wage - even on certified plantations.
- Contrary to legal requirements, piecework of more than twelve hours is a reality for many workers.
- The study also describes cases of trade union repression, sexual exploitation, inadequate protection against pesticides and other labour rights violations in Costa Rica and South Africa.
The German supermarkets - above all the four supermarket giants Aldi, Edeka, Lidl and Rewe - exert enormous price pressure on the farms in their supply chains through their market power. This makes them partly responsible for the conditions on the plantations. But not all supermarkets are willing to take responsibility. Therefore, the German government must lobby at the EU level for a strong legal regulation on human rights due diligence. It also needs to ambitiously implement the German Supply Chain Act, which was passed in 2021.
Note: Oxfam wrote to all the companies mentioned in this study in February 2022 to ask for their comments. Responses can be found on page 30 and following pages of the report.