Growing Pains

Supermarkets sell 70% of all the flowers bought in the UK - the highest proportion in Europe. But the workers in Colombia and Kenya supplying those flowers to the supermarkets face low wages, health problems such as repetitive strain injuries and miscarriages through exposure to pesticides. Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury's all source from one or both of these countries, and have enormous influence over flower producers and ultimately the health and safety of workers.

Many UK businesses have adopted voluntary standards for their suppliers, but these are still failing to protect the health and safety of workers. War on Want is therefore calling on Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alistair Darling to urge the government to introduce binding legislation to enforce corporate accountability. This must give overseas workers the right of redress in the UK, i.e. the ability to seek compensation for damage to their health and loss of earnings as the result of actions of UK companies or their suppliers.

Flower workers depend on their jobs as vital sources of income. Help us ensure that workers supplying the UK have safe and secure jobs. Take action now via the link below.

Download the Growing Pains report [pdf] The human cost of cut flowers in British supermarkets

Video: The Human Cost of Flowers View video testimonies from Colombian women workers on their working conditions in flower factories.

Help us to continue our work Support our appeal and help us continue our work to improve working conditions for flower workers and sweatshop workers around the world

Stop UK companies and their suppliers abusing workers overseas Write to John Hutton MP and call for legislation to give workers overseas the right of redress in the UK

Read War on Want's response to Asocolflores The Colombian flower exporters group Asocolflores disseminated comments on War on Want's report. Read our reply here.

Corporate Accountability Homepage: Find out more about our Corporate Accountability campaign to ensure corporations are accountable for their activities by putting in place effective regulations.