Fighting supermarket power

Supermarkets today wield unprecedented power on a global scale. From Bangladesh to South Africa, supermarkets dictate the terms at which overseas producers are forced to sell their goods. With threats to find new suppliers, they force prices down around the world.

But the workers who produce those goods – from fruit and vegetables to flowers, wine, cheap clothes and tea – feel their devastating impact every day. Working in factories or on plantations, they face long hours, terrible working conditions and little or no trade union rights. Despite working 80 hours a week, many workers are not able to earn a living wage.

UK-based supermarkets like Tesco seek to keep prices low and their own profits high. Companies such as Asda Wal-Mart have resources beyond those of many countries, and they use that power to squeeze every last bit of profit. They use their size and economic influence to put their suppliers under immense pressure to produce goods as cheaply as possible.

War on Want is challenging the corporate culture and government policy that abuse workers' rights and keeps them in poverty. We have published groundbreaking research into supermarkets' exploitation of their suppliers, and work in partnership with grassroots organisations around the world who directly support these workers. The time to end supermarket abuse is now.

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This campaign has been mounted with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of the campaign and all documents produced under it are the sole responsibility of War on Want and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

Tags: campaigns | corporate accountability | food justice | supermarkets & sweatshops | sweatshops & plantations