The anti-slavery chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely has admitted that at least 1,700 child labourers were involved in making its confectionery last year.
The company, whose motto is “let’s make chocolate 100 per cent slave-free”, has previously been backed by the actor Idris Elba, who said in an advert in 2020: “What’s not to love about chocolate? Well, two million children working illegally on cocoa plantations. That’s unfair.” Yet in the year to April 2021, Tony’s found 1,701 cases of child labour in its supply chain, a huge rise from 387 the previous year.
Child labour refers to illegal work undertaken by under-18s that involves dangerous and harmful tasks or work that deprives them of dignity or education. It does not include children working legally or
