Whiskas Embroiled in Modern-Day Slavery Scandal

Whiskas Embroiled in Modern-Day Slavery Scandal

Cat owners who buy Whiskas for their pet may unwittingly be funding modern-day slavery and destructive fishing methods, Greenpeace New Zealand says today.

Although most famous for peddling chocolate bars, Whiskas’ owner Mars is also the largest pet food company on the planet. The American company buys tuna and other seafood that goes into its cat food pouches and cans from Thai Union, one of the world’s biggest seafood exporters.

Last year, Thai Union was exposed as being connected to human rights abuses through direct links to fishing vessels and suppliers where workers were exploited, abused and forced to work on ships for years at a time. Thai Union also sources from fishing methods that result in high catches of untargeted species, such as sharks, turtles and rays. Tuna caught on these ships could be ending up in tins of Whiskas sold in New Zealand.

In an exposé last year, products from another Mars-owned cat food brand, Iams, were shown to be made in a Thai Union cannery which was processing fish from boats using trafficked and forced labour.

Greenpeace New Zealand have contacted Mars in New Zealand several times in the last few months, asking the company to provide evidence that they are not selling Whiskas cat food tainted by human rights abuses and destructive fishing.

Mars have so far failed to provide evidence that their product is not implicated, leading Greenpeace New Zealand to launch a campaign asking cat owners to contact Mars and ask the company to come clean about its Whiskas supply chain.

Greenpeace New Zealand campaigner Kate Simcock said: “All too often, modern-day slavery and destructive fishing methods go hand-in-hand. And with these unsavoury elements already lurking in Mars products, it’s clear that Whiskas has some serious questions to answer. Whiskas has so far failed to clear their name on these grave matters, despite clear links to their parent company.

“They've balked at divulging the secrets of their murky supply chain to us, and we’ve seen no evidence that their product is not trashing our oceans and linked to slavery and exploitation.

“We’re sure that cat lovers everywhere will be shocked at this. No-one wants to buy cat food, or anything else for that matter, that reeks of human rights abuses.

“That’s why we’re asking the public to join us and ask Mars a simple question: ‘What’s in my Whiskas?’

“Mars have got to tell their customers where they get the fish from that goes into Whiskas. And if it is caught by an exploited workforce, or in ways that empty our oceans of tuna, sharks, turtles and other animals, they’ve got to clean up their act.”

Just over three months ago, Nestle, which owns Purina Fancy Feast, admitted that its pet food products have been linked to human rights abuses and promised to clean up its supply chain. Nestle claims that all companies sourcing seafood from Thailand will face the same issues.

ENDS

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