Communications

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Institution of Affiliation

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Publication: [Place of publication not identified]: Guardian News & Media Ltd., [2014]

Physical Description: 1 online resource (1 video file (18 min., 19 sec)): sound, color.

Language: English

Staff View: MARC RecordOCLC Number: 1038750024

Series:

[Films on Demand collection]Contents:

Supermarket Slave Trade (18:19)

Subjects:

Business.Business ethics.Economics.BusinessBusiness ethicsEconomicsStreaming video.Internet videos.Internet videosSummary:

A six-month Guardian multimedia investigation has, for the first time, tracked how some of the world’s big-supermarkets—Tesco, Aldi, Walmart, and Morrison’s—are using suppliers who rely on slave labor to put cheap products on their shelves. Slavery is back and here’s the proof. Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Genre:

Streaming video.

Internet videos.

Internet videos

Notes:

Originally released by Guardian News & Media Ltd., 2014.

Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on April 24, 2018.

Database: WorldCatSummary

The slave labor that is used in parts of the Thai prawn industry marks a new low point in the abuse of workers from the poor countries and an even more prompt reminder to the better off in all countries that when we decide something, we do not care about how the things we use and to consume, get produced. We tend to risk consigning vast numbers of people to harsh and dismal lives, and sometimes too sad and unnecessary deaths. The way we live in the rich world that includes the affluent classes in the less developed countries imposes terrible costs on many of those who grow our food, make our clothes and otherwise sustain our generally comfortable experience.

It is with no doubt that the modern form of slavery has been ongoing in the big corporations such as the supermarkets to provide cheap commodities. The chain of production of the seafood especially the prawns have been the most affected part of the industry in Thailand. Millions of immigrants have been enslaved in the sea spending most of their time fishing for the prawns. The slaves are smuggled into the borders of Thailand by brokers who promise them for jobs, but in the real sense, they are sold for the prawn production.

Supermarkets such as TESCO have been outlined as being some of the large organizations to whom are responsible for the continued nature of slavery because they have collaborated with the cartels purchasing their products from them and then selling them at a lower price into the supermarkets. The slaves are paid low wages, and on top, they get tortured in the event of requesting to be allowed to be set free. Some of the slaves are shot dead while others get sold back to other ships. The living conditions of the workers are, and they spend most of their time in filthy conditions working all day and night long without being offered chances of rest. No one seems to care for the people as even the government deny the existence of such trade in the seashores.

The large companies make billions of dollars from the sale of the prawns and also reinvesting in the manufacture of the sea waste in the production of prawn food that has its distribution worldwide. Among the beneficiaries of the supermarket slavery is the United States to whom have been in consultation with the Thailand government to not only formulate policies but also make sure that they are implemented. The international labor organization estimates a population of around 21 million individuals being involved in slave labor trafficking as well as the modern slavery. Among the people involved are the poor Cambodians and Burmese who are forced to crew the Thai boats scouring the ocean for fish to feed the country’s voracious prawn farms, and they are treated as if they are almost disposable as the fish they catch from the waters. The big chains which include the supermarkets should use their considerable power to wake up the Asian suppliers to who in turn can upset the criminal labor brokers and gangmasters who manage the vicious business. Besides, the supermarkets should avoid buying the sea products from these corrupt chain to reduce the events of slavery.

Reference

Infobase, & Guardian News & Media Ltd. (Firm) (Directors). (2018). Supermarket slave trade [Motion picture on Online video]. Guardian News & Media.