In August of 2015, Nestle was sued after information surfaced of the company using human trafficking and slave labor to obtain seafood used in its Fancy Feast cat food line. Now, Mars and Procter & Gamble are being sued for the same accusation.
Thai Union Frozen Products – the company Nestle, Mar, and Procter & Gamble all get their seafood from – lure Burmese and Cambodian males 15 years and older with the promise of employment and a better life, then traffics them to Thai fishing boats where they work 20-hour days with little-to-no food or pay.
Workers are forbidden to leave the ship unless their captain releases them, which only happens on the rare occasion where the captain believes the debt to purchase the man has been paid off in man hours. Any worker who tries to escape is severely punished with beatings, shackled around the neck, and sometimes, even killed.
No word has surfaced yet from Mars or Procter & Gamble. When asked if the company had any comments on the situation, Fancy Feast (owned by Nestle) responded with the following statement:
“The elimination of forced labor in SE Asia is a shared responsibility, and we are committed to being part of the solution.”
Fancy Feast didn’t offer a response when asked if there was any possibility of Nestle buying seafood from a more respectable source.
Three major pet food companies have been sued in the past two months for the same accusation.
Should pet owners be concerned that their pet’s food has been produced with slave labor?
Let me know in comments, and be sure to connect with me on Google, “like” me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter to stay up-to-date on pet product recalls, pet safety concerns, and pet company lawsuits!
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