Investigation Reveals Forced Labor Tomatoes in UK 'Italian' Purees

The BBC's probing study suggests that numerous 'Italian' tomato purees sold in the UK may actually include tomatoes from Xinjiang, China, where forced labor is reported. Major supermarket brands dispute these findings but face scrutiny over supply chain transparency and ethical sourcing.

A recent investigation by the BBC has uncovered startling evidence suggesting that several widely available 'Italian' tomato purees sold in UK supermarkets may actually contain tomatoes sourced from China, specifically the Xinjiang region, where allegations of forced labor have been reported.

Among the products scrutinized were those carrying 'Italian' nomenclature, such as Tesco’s “Italian Tomato Purée” and Asda's double concentrate, which claims to include “Puréed Italian grown tomatoes.” In total, 17 tomato puree products were identified, many being own-brand items from UK and German retailers that likely contain tomatoes from Xinjiang — an area notorious for its human rights abuses against the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.

The tomatoes from Xinjiang, where the Chinese government has been accused of detaining over a million people in facilities labeled as “re-education camps,” are primarily cultivated under conditions linked to forced labor. The Chinese government denies these allegations and asserts that laborers’ rights are protected by law.

An internal analysis commissioned by the BBC utilized shipping data and origin verification techniques to trace the sourcing of these products, linking them back to prominent tomato-processing firms in Italy like Antonio Petti, which received significant shipments from Xinjiang Guannong Co. Despite the supermarkets initially disputing the findings and claiming to have conducted their own internal investigations with conflicting results, the link to forced labor in the tomato supply chain remains a key concern.

Adding further complexity, the investigation revealed an under-reported admission from Lidl about using Chinese tomatoes in its Baresa Tomatenmark due to supply issues last year, while a visit by a BBC undercover reporter to the Petti group's factory raised additional alarms over recent imports from the Xinjiang supplier.

Despite the current lack of stringent European and UK legislation reflecting the U.S.’s ban on Xinjiang products, activists warn that the UK risks becoming a destination for goods produced with forced labor unless more rigorous measures are initiated.

As the investigation sheds light on the potential human cost behind seemingly innocuous food products, experts remind consumers to question the true pricing behind their food, encouraging an ongoing dialogue about ethical sourcing and accountability in supply chains worldwide.