I’m contacting you in light of our latest investigation which concerns the use of forced labor in China’s seafood processing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between companies engaged in such practices and your supply chain.

Woolworths stocks squid products from ██████████ sources squid products from a Chinese processor called Shandong Haidu Ocean Product Co. Ltd. Shandong Haidu has received persons from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China under the state-imposed labor transfer program.

The…

Thank you for your email. Please see our statement below. We will keep an eye out for the story once it’s published. Kind regards Eloise

Comments from a Woolworths spokesperson: “Based on information from our supplier, we understand that none of our products are sourced from this processor. “However, we know global seafood supply chains are inherently at higher risk for modern slavery due to the nature of the industry, and this is a priority area for us. “Transparency is at the core of our approach to human rights, and we are committed to acting in the best interest of workers when issues are…

Woolworth’s website lists Dagim breaded fillets (from Dagim Tahorim) and Habani squid tubes (from Oriental Merchant). Trade records show shipments of pollock consigned to Dagim Tahorim from Yantai Sanko Fisheries. Yantai Sanko has received persons from the Xinjiang region of China under a state-imposed labor transfer program since 2019 and until at least 2022. Separately, Oriental Merchant has imported shipments of seafood from Shandong Haidu, which has also received persons from the Xinjiang region under a labor transfer program. Does Woolworths have any comment on these supply lines? Thank y…

We're looking into this for your reporting. However, in the meantime, our Human Rights team would be interested in better understanding your team's investigation. Rachel Elliott (in CC) is our General manager of Sustainability - Human Rights. Her team engages with organisations such as yours to better identify supply chain risks we may be exposed to. I'd like to introduce you to discuss more about this specific investigation purely from an advocacy perspective. Any engagement for media reporting and quoting will continue to come from me directly, meaning your team's engagement with Rachel woul…