EXCLUSIVE: Judge Allows Child Labour Lawsuit Against Chocolate Giants to Move Forward

In a major development for corporate accountability and human rights advocacy, a D.C. Superior Court judge has denied motions to dismiss a long-running landmark lawsuit accusing Mars, Mondelēz, and Cargill of allegedly misleading consumers about the use of child labour in their cocoa supply chains

The decision, handed down by Judge Ebony M Scott, clears the way for a consumer protection suit brought by the nonprofit International Rights Advocates (IRA) under the District of Columbia’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act (CPPA). The case alleges that the chocolate companies use deceptive marketing to portray their supply chains as ethical, despite evidence of hazardous child labour on West African cocoa farms that supply their products.

This content is for Paid Members

Already have an account? Log in