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The chairwoman of the International Development Select Committee, Sarah Champion, has called for stronger regulation of the labelling of UK products, stating that it is “weak and confusing.” In a House of Commons urgent question on Monday, Champion urged for clearer information on the country of origin of product ingredients and called for legislation to prevent importation of products produced through forced labour. She claimed that British companies have “optional” human rights due diligence, and as a result, UK supply chains contain a high quantity of Uighur forced labour products. Champion accused supermarkets of prioritising profits over human rights, and encouraged consumers to make ethical choices with their wallets.
The BBC reported that most Chinese tomatoes are from the Xinjiang region, where there are concerns that production is linked to Uyghur forced labour and abuse. BBC Eye identified 17 products, mostly own-brands, in the UK and Germany that were likely to contain Chinese tomatoes. China has denied the allegations.
Former Conservative party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith also called for an effective ban on such products, backed up by criminal sanctions. Business and Trade Secretary Douglas Alexander responded to the debate by stating that the government was reviewing the Modern Slavery Act and would approach companies in question to clarify the facts of the allegations. He added that the UK must send a clear message that there will be no forced labour in supply chains.
The calls for legislation follow remarks made by the Parliament Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Baroness Hayman of Ullock, who said Defra was investigating the use of labelling to provide clearer information to consumers
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