Nestle sued in the US over Thai slave labour claim
GLOBAL FOOD company Nestle is being sued in the United States over claims that its Fancy Feast cat food brand contains fish from a Thai supplier that uses slave labour.
The complaint against the Swiss food giant came just a week after it was alleged Costco Wholesale Corp – a US-based membership-only warehouse club – sold shrimp farmed in Thailand. The Thai fishing industry has continued to come under international attacks over claims it uses forced labour despite Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha amending several relevant laws and introducing many tough measures aimed at combating illegal fishing and human-trafficking networks. The seafood industry and trade associations, led by the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand, have also announced that they will comply strictly with new Thai laws designed to crack down on illegal fishing and human trafficking.
On Thursday four consumers filed a class-action lawsuit in a US federal court in Los Angeles seeking to represent all California consumers of Fancy Feast cat food who would not have purchased the product had they known it had ties to slave labour.
“By hiding this from public view, Nestle has effectively tricked millions of consumers into supporting and encouraging slave labour on floating prisons,” said Steve Berman, managing partner of the Hagens Berman law firm.
Nestle said in an e-mailed statement that forced labour “has no place in our supply chain”.
