What lies behind the chocolate, tobacco and cotton? A trip-investigation reveals a shocking truth.

Slavery is unfortunately a reality yet , in countries in the developing world and not only, as routine practice by many multinational companies in order to obtain the maximum gain and efficiency of production, at no cost to their budgets cheap , but at the cost of life for hundreds of adults and children around the world , forced to work in inhuman conditions to suit every need consumerist industrialized countries.


Often we find ourselves to be accomplices, without our knowledge or lack of information, a fact that should have disappeared for decades, but continues to persist and to condemn those who fall victim day after day, without a break. Slavery is unfortunately absent even in our country, as in the case of multinational drinks company Coca Cola .

1 ) Coca Cola
immigrants - collection - oranges
The striking case of Rosario, in Calabria , was revealed by a survey carried out by ofThe Ecologist and later picked up by The Independent, which was announced in the South as the orange harvest for the production of the well-known soft drinks brand happen in conditions of slavery at the hands of migrants from Africa , often after having reached the Italian coast after crossing a dreary seen as the only hope of survival. Coke would react by simply cutting the bridges and the agreements previously entered into with companies that produce Calabrian oranges, in defense of his own image of multinational "clean" .


2 ) Philip Morris
In 2010, the tobacco company Philip Morris acknowledged the presence in its plantations of at least 72 children age 10 years, involved in the collection of the tobacco and the risk of suffering from nicotine poisoning . Not only that, it seems that the company forcing migrant workers to work in conditions of slavery , having seized their documents and forcing them to continuous operation , without any compensation . Despite the promises made ​​by the corporation , in relation to the desire to put an end to such situations , it seems that, according to what reported by The Independent, the problem is not yet completely solved and that there are now whole families and children forced to work in inhuman conditions in the plantations .
The brands : Marlboro, Basic, Benson & Hedges, Cambridge, Chesterfield, Commander, Dave's, English Ovals, Lark, L&M, Merit, Parliament, Players, Saratoga and Virginia Slims.

3 ) Victoria 's Secret
burkina - faso - cotton- 2 - 537x402
The brand Victoria's Secret claims to use only cotton sourced " fair trade " and this should be a guarantee against labor exploitation within the plantations. Unfortunately, however, seems to be a real risk that some manufacturers of organic cotton and fair trade are not able to do without use child labor to achieve its production targets , as in the case of the thirteen Clarissa , who in Burkina Faso would be forced to plant and harvest cotton undergoing physical abuse. From happening , in 2008 , it seems that Victoria's Secret has done nothing but remove the words " fair trade " from the labels of their products from Burkina Faso. Situations of exploitation may therefore still be present in the cotton fields of that locality .


4 ) KYE
In 2010, the National Labor Committee put under fire for slavery Chinese manufacturing to KYE having recruited 1,000 students nominally workers aged between 16 and 17 years , but often less than 15 years , forced to work for 15 hours per day and per 7 days 7 . would not be missed also many women aged between 18 and 25 years , which were imposed similar conditions and with a wage of 65 cents an hour . Even in the face of official data, KYE would continue to support the perfect working conditions within their own homes. KYE is responsible for the production of products for companies and brands such as Microsoft , HP and Xbox . Other companies have recently admitted to exploit Chinese workers for their production . Between them they would not except Apple and Nokia. ( You can also read Apple in China exploits workers and pollutes the environment )


5 ) Forever 21
For the purchase of cotton from plantations where slavery continues to reign , as in the case of Uzbekistan, Forever 21 made ​​a statement rather subtle , suggesting that there are agreements with the producers to ensure that the work is carried out legally and by qualified persons. The issue has given rise to unapetizione that takes into account how the government forces in Uzbekistan every year millions of students to leave school during the cotton harvest , to devote himself to it in conditions of slavery and in complete violation of human rights. Forever 21 is not the only clothing company to source cotton from Uzbekistan , one of the world's leading manufacturers . Among them, there would also Aeropostale , Toys ' R ' Us, and Urban Outfitters .


6) Hershey's
Hershey 's has recently announced the U.S. launch of a new line of chocolate , called " Chocolate Bliss ", which uses only cocoa certified by the Rainforest Alliance. A single line of products will certainly revive the brand by accusations of slavery from the International Labor Rights Forum . Although the company has entered into a relationship against child labor ten years ago , thousands of children still harvest cocoa in Africa for the multinational chocolate , which unfortunately still continue to have a bitter aftertaste flavor of slavery, as in the case of rivals Nestle and M&M.

Child labor, unfair prices and poverty earnings characterize the tobacco growing sector.

For over 100 years cigarette manufacturers and leaf buying companies have exploited farmers to obtain profits from below-cost leaf, unpaid child labor and low-cost and bonded adult laborers. Today, tobacco farmers continue to face risks in their jobs. Tobacco is an input-intensive crop, requiring seeds, seedbeds, fertilizer and pesticide applications, and access to credit to cover such input costs. Tobacco companies take advantage of this credit opportunity by selling agricultural chemicals and other inputs at above-market rates on loan. The companies, through loan arrangements, trap farmers into a cycle of debt. Oftentimes, debt servitude continues year after year and intensifies when farmers experience a bad harvest due to uncertain rains and other climate change issues.

The health risks of tobacco growing threaten tobacco household members. Parents who are forced to send children to fields instead of schools witness an increase in hunger, stunted growth and school dropout rates among children.

What lies behind the chocolate bars we eat every day? A trip-investigation reveals a shocking truth. 


'"The Dark Side Of Chocolate" (USA 2010 Bastard Film & TV), a documentary shot by Miki Mistarti, award-winning Danish journalist, along with Roberto Romano. 

Party from Mali, Mistrati came to Ivory Coast retracing the trade routes through which children are enslaved and forced to work on cocoa plantations, often without any pay. 

The scandal hidden behind the sweet world's favorite hiding a bitter aftertaste that speaks of colonial exploitation, denial of basic rights and child slavery. 

An operation for truth Mistrati and Romano, produced by Bastards Film & TV in 2010 in USA. The film is in English with subtitles in Italian and lasts just over 45 minutes.