You have likely heard whispers of ethical issues involving large chocolate companies such as Hersey and Nestle, but were unaware of detailed allegations, and felt unsure that alternative brands would have better standards. You have probably seen the label Fair Trade on chocolates, coffee, and other items in your local grocery store, but there are so many certifications on labels, how can you know what logos hold real value?
In this blog, I hope to give you a clearer picture of the current state of child labor within the mainstream chocolate industry and how you can use purchasing power to induce change. There are options in the chocolate industry, and the choices you make can directly affect the lives of children across the globe, not only the joyful faces at your door sing-songing “trick or treat”.
Cocoa is a gigantic multi-billionaire dollar industry, however, the majority of cocoa farmers make an average of only 89 cents per day! That's less than Americans are paying for a candy bar! As a result, most cocoa farmers and their families live below the poverty line. And, as these farmers harvest cocoa beans, and don’t participate in the transition to chocolate, most cocoa farmers have never even had the opportunity to taste chocolate!
The low wages and extreme poverty in the primary cocoa-producing regions of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire lay the groundwork for child labor. As recently as 2020, Seedtrace (a company that brings transparency to supply chains) found that around 2.1 million children were facing despicable child labor conditions in these West African countries. Without options, families often send children as young as 5 to work on farms for up to 14 hours a day using machetes and chainsaws in perilous conditions. Once the children reach these farms they may find that they were sold to work for years on end and may never see their families or homes again. Not only is this work extremely dangerous and harmful to the children, but it also prevents them from getting an education and developing skills that could break the cycle of poverty and systematic oppression. These are the small hands behind big chocolate brands.
Although many whistleblower groups have come together over the past few decades to call out Big Chocolate and demand safer conditions, the facts remain that child labor is extremely prevalent in the cocoa industry. While groups like The International Labor Organization, The International Cocoa Initiative, and even Nestle Chocolate are making efforts to curtail this epidemic, there is still so far to go. Until research shows a significant decrease in the general cocoa labor force, the easiest way to speak to those perpetrating these situations is through your purchasing power.
When you choose to buy Fair Trade chocolate, you are sending a message to the industry that you will not participate in a market that exploits children and impoverished families for gain. When you see that a chocolate product is Fair Trade Certified, that product is guaranteed to be providing a safe working environment, no child or slave labor, sustainable wages, and eco-friendly farming practices. Additionally, the majority of Fair Trade cooperatives use their Fair Trade premiums to invest in community projects such as the construction of schools and health clinics, or providing organic agriculture training.
This Halloween, and throughout the upcoming holidays, please take time to think about the consequences of supporting Big Chocolate and decide if the lower prices are worth the human cost. Companies like Equal Exchange offer mini chocolates that work great for trick-or-treaters and only cost 28 cents apiece. Similarly, the company Divine offers advent calendars, chocolate coins, and a Hanukkah gift box to meet all of your upcoming holiday needs. Because when we work together with our purchasing power, we can send a message to Big Chocolate that child labor will no longer be tolerated.
Sources:
https://www.walkfree.org/global-slavery-index/findings/spotlights/chocolates-hidden-ingredient/
https://www.fairplanet.org/story/towards-ethically-sourced-chocolate/
https://www.borgenmagazine.com/child-labor-in-cocoa-production/
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/our-work/child-forced-labor-trafficking/child-labor-cocoa
