Southampton & District Green Party are supporting a petition to ensure goods entering the country have the country of origin and supply chains declared in documentation.
At present UK companies, with a turnover of £36 million, importing goods for sale into the UK have to carry out due diligence on products to ensure those items were not the product of slave labour. Those companies must also publish their findings so the UK Government has a current receipt of data especially for areas of the world like India where it is already known tens of millions are caught up in modern slavery.
There is also legislation so that goods imported have not been contributing to illegal deforestation and purchasers of goods in the EU and UK are already made aware about that risk from importers.
Annually there are £900 billion of goods and services purchased overseas by the UK. The latest round of global trade tariffs has complicated supply chains especially for goods going into the USA.
We already know that Malaysia is being used as a hub by countries side stepping prohibitive tariffs and other countries soon will start using their own relay services, mainly sea ports and air ports, so as to complicate supply chain origins. Subsequent to Covid-19 Malaysia itself has been focus of scandal and allegations of forced labour.
Traditionally consumers have used their buying power to support countries with strong democracies and knowing overseas products from those countries will be fit for purpose and with warranties supplied.
Without important and complete supply chain data published for all products sold in the UK, consumers struggle to buy or boycott goods based on their common-sense approach.
Coxford Green Party Councillor Matt Renyard who follows human rights issues around the world with Amnesty International supports the idea purchasers should have the tools to boycott countries where there is clear evidence of violations.
He said,
“It’s clear that goods entering our country should be clearly labelled and documentation accompanying goods needs to include detailed information from where and what we are buying.
Please sign the petition so this can be debated in parliament.