Denmark boycotts Huelva strawberries over alleged workplace abuse

Following alleged workplace abuse in the strawberry fields of Huelva, Denmark has refused to purchase the red berries from the province – and other countries may follow suit.

For years, many workers have alleged workplace abuse on strawberry fields in Huelva, Andalucia, Europe’s biggest red fruit producing region. This week, Danish media outlet Danwatch echoed these claims in an extensive report.

Salling Group, the conglomerate of companies that owns large Danish supermarket chains Føtex, Netto and Bilka, has finalised its decision to cease selling strawberries and other red fruits in its stores due to the alleged abuse in the fruit fields of Huelva.

The decision comes after another large Danish supermarket firm, Coop, had already provisionally suspended the purchase of red fruits from its usual suppliers in Huelva.

It has been announced that they will be conducting their own investigations and sending teams to find out ‘in situ’ whether there is any truth to the shocking abuse claims that were alleged by journalists and also published by news network Al Jazeera.

The investigation in Al Jazeera claims that “Strawberry pickers with temporary work visas have few opportunities to report harassment and abuse” and that workers are being sexually abused and threatened with losing their jobs if they do not comply.

Salling Group has been the first conglomerate of large supermarket chains that has decided to suspend its purchases from suppliers that do not allow independent, random and unannounced inspections – something that will soon be a legal requirement in the European Union.

It is about ensuring due diligence throughout the supply chain, from harvest to consumer.

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