Swiss chocolate giant Lindt is facing a lawsuit in a US court over allegations of using child labour in its cocoa supply chain in Ghana and Ivory Coast, despite publicly championing its commitment to ethical sourcing.
A complaint filed in a Washington, D.C. federal court on Tuesday alleges that Lindt falsely assures consumers it is actively working to eliminate child labour from its supply chain and upholds children’s and human rights. The lawsuit claims Lindt has been aware for over two decades that its cocoa is produced with child labour and has profited from these practices.
“A reasonable consumer would not expect a company ‘committed to respecting human rights’ and ‘conducting business in an ethical, legal and environmentally and socially responsible manner’ to use widespread child labor in its cocoa supply chain,” the complaint states.
The legal document further details that Lindt sources 100% of its consumer-grade cocoa beans from Ghana, with cocoa butter originating from Ivory Coast.
The lawsuit was brought by International Rights Advocates, a public interest law firm known for pursuing similar cases. The firm has previously accused other major chocolate manufacturers, including Mars, Mondelez, and Nestle, of relying on child labour in their operations.
Responding to the allegations, a Lindt spokesperson said Thursday: “Lindt & Sprungli takes the issue of child labor very seriously and strongly condemns all forms of child labor and denies the allegations in the complaint.”
The company added, “We have supplier protocols in place, and we systematically investigate suspected cases of child labor in our supply chain.”
The Kilchberg, Switzerland-based company’s official website features a 2030 Sustainability Plan, which outlines Lindt’s initiatives to support cocoa farmers in West Africa and mitigate risks associated with child labour. Lindt also publishes a “Modern Slavery Statement,” detailing its “tailored strategy” to reduce such risks, including adherence to Rainforest Alliance certification for farming practices.
Notably, the lawsuit aims to halt Lindt’s alleged “unlawful conduct directed at D.C. consumers” and does not seek monetary damages.
Terry Collingsworth, executive director of International Rights Advocates, commented in an email that his research “confirmed that Lindt, like the other major cocoa companies, has great paper policies and virtually no implementation, particularly on the child labor issue.” His firm has also initiated legal action against Apple, Cargill, and Starbucks over alleged forced labour within their supply chains.
