Correspondence
Email sent to the PR team at Edeka.
The email said: "I’m contacting you in light of our latest investigation which concerns the use of forced labor in China’s food processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between companies engaged in such practices and one of your suppliers - Nomad Foods.
Edeka sells Iglo brand white fish products. Our research shows that Northseafood Holland and Unibond Seafood International are white fish suppliers to Nomad Foods brands, which include the Iglo, Birds Eye and Findus ranges retailing across Europe.
Northseafood Holland has imported shipments of white fish, including pollock, from the processor, Yantai Sanko Fisheries Co. Ltd., based in China. Yantai Sanko Fisheries Co. Ltd. has received persons from the Xinjiang region of China under a government labor transfer program since 2019 and until at least April 2023.
Northseafood Holland B.V. has also been supplied white fish by Yantai Longwin Foods Co. Ltd., a company linked to Yantai Sanko Fisheries through corporate ownership. Our investigation has found Uyghurs working at Yantai Longwin Foods Co. Ltd. since at least 2020 and until at least July 2023.
Unibond Seafood has imported shipments of white fish, including cod and pollock, from Qingdao Tianyuan Aquatic Foodstuff Co. Ltd. since the Chinese plant is known to have first started using Xinjiang labor in 2018. Our evidence demonstrates the presence of Uyghur workers at Qingdao Tianyuan as recently as May 2023.
The United Nations, human rights organizations and academic experts agree that since 2018, the Chinese government has systematically subjected Xinjiang’s predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities to forced labor across the country via state-sanctioned employment programs which use coercive methods in worker enrollment and obstruct freedom to terminate employment.
Could you confirm whether white fish sourced from Yantai Sanko, Yantai Longwin and Qingdao Tianyuan has been used in any of the Iglo branded products sold by Edeka since 2018? Does Edeka have any comment or clarification to make regarding the above information? Please respond by close of business September 8, 2023, and note that all interactions are fully on record."
Gernot Kasel in Edeka's Corporate Communications/Public Affairs Department sent a statement: "Thank you very much for your request. However, we are very sorry that, as a retailer, we cannot help you here. The products you mentioned are branded products. The brand manufacturer who distributes and markets these products is fully responsible for compliance with all quality standards in the supply chain. We therefore ask you to contact the Iglo company directly with your questions."
The Outlaw Ocean Project's publishing partner in Germany, Die Zeit, contacted Edeka for comment on the investigation.
Gernot Kasel in Edeka's Corporate Communications/Public Affairs Department replied. A summary in English of this email: As Germany's leading food retailer, we take our social responsibility seriously and are committed to protecting and respecting human rights. With the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) in force since the beginning of the year, companies are required, among other things, to implement due diligence measures such as risk management with prevention and remediation measures, as well as active complaint management and regular reporting. Please be assured that we have firmly established all necessary processes and structures within our group of companies to fully comply with the specific requirements of the LkSG. In this context, we have forwarded the statements in the investigations of the research association 'The Ocean Outlaw Project' to the responsible department for further review."
The email in its original language said: “vielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage. Als Deutschlands führender Lebensmittelhändler nehmen wir unsere gesellschaftliche Verantwortung ernst und setzen uns für den Schutz und die Einhaltung von Menschenrechten ein. Mit dem seit Anfang des Jahres geltenden Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz (LkSG) sind Unternehmen unter anderem dazu aufgefordert, Sorgfaltspflichten wie ein Risikomanagement mit Präventions- und Abhilfemaßnahmen umzusetzen sowie ein aktives Beschwerdemanagement und eine regelmäßige Berichterstattung durchzuführen. Bitte seien Sie versichert, dass wir alle nötigen Prozesse und Strukturen innerhalb unseres Unternehmensverbunds fest verankert haben, um den spezifischen Anforderungen des LkSG in vollem Umfang gerecht zu werden.
In diesem Zusammenhang haben wir die Aussagen in den Untersuchungen des Rechercheverbunds “The Ocean Outlaw Project“ zur weiteren Überprüfung an die zuständige Abteilung weitergeleitet. Weitere Informationen zu unserem Engagement finden Sie auch online unter: https://verbund.edeka/ verantwortung/handlungsfelder/gesellschaft/menschenrechte/. Dort sind aktuelle EDEKA-Policies wie unsere Grundsatzerklärung für Menschenrechte oder der Verhaltenskodex hinterlegt. Gleichzeitig gelangen Sie von dort auch auf unsere Meldeplattform.”
Gernot Kasel in Edeka's Corporate Communications/Public Affairs Department replied. A summary in English of this email: The message reiterated that Edeka's statement dated October 9, 2023, remains the company's current position.
The email in its original language said: “Ich habe soeben den gestern auf Zeit online veröffentlichten Beitrag „Zwangsarbeit fürs Fischgericht“ gelesen. Darin werde ich auch namentlich zitiert, und zwar mit einem Statement, das nicht dem aktuellen Stand entspricht. Unsere aktuelle Positionierung von EDEKA finden Sie in meiner Antwort-Mail von Montag, 9. Oktober, 8 Uhr. Besteht noch die Möglichkeit zur Korrektur bzw. Aktualisierung des Online-Textes in Ihrem Portal? Danke und beste Grüße”
The Outlaw Ocean Project's publishing partner in Germany, Die Zeit, asked Edeka for an update on its internal review into the findings of The Outlaw Ocean Project’s investigation.
Edeka’s press team replied. A summary in English of this email: The information from The Outlaw Ocean Project’s investigation was forwarded to the company’s research department, and that due to the complex supply chains involved it will take more time to conduct a thorough review.
The email in its original language said: “Vielen Dank für Ihre Rückfrage. Wie bereits erwähnt, haben wir die Aussagen in den Untersuchungen des Rechercheverbunds “The Ocean Outlaw Project“ umgehend an die zuständige Abteilung weitergeleitet. Bitte haben Sie Verständnis, dass es zur fundierten Überprüfung und Bearbeitung aufgrund der komplexen Lieferketten einer längeren Bearbeitungszeit bedarf. Mit freundlichen Grüßen.”