// 20,000 people sign petition urging Lidl to do more to protect workers in its global supply chains
// The petition was handed to Lidl’s UK head office in Wimbledon this week.
// It forms part of Oxfam’s Behind the Barcodes campaign
A petition with 20,000 signatures urging Lidl to do more to protect the workers behind its food was presented to the retailer’s UK head office this week.
The petition, is part of Oxfam’s Behind the Barcodes campaign, was presented to the Wimbledon head office in south west London by campaigners dressed as giant fruit and vegetables.
The campaign calls for improvements to lives of the millions of people around the world producing food for supermarkets, many of whom are trapped in poverty and face brutal working conditions.
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In the UK, Oxfam aimed the campaign at the six major grocers: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl.
Lidl was targeted because it is currently bottom of Oxfam’s scorecard, which assesses the supermarkets’ policies and practices on human rights in their supply chains.
“When it comes to protecting the farmers and workers who supply the food we eat, Lidl is firmly at the bottom of our Behind the Barcodes scorecard,” Oxfam ethical trade manager Rachel Wilshaw said.
“Oxfam and our supporters have been targeting Lidl since last October to push the company to take action, with over 20,000 people signing our petition.
“We acknowledge the concerted efforts that Lidl has made since then. But, until we see company-wide public commitments, we will continue campaigning so that we can say, with confidence, that Lidl is taking the issue of worker exploitation seriously.”
Retail Gazette has contacted Lidl for comment.
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