Shops ban sale of coconut milk ‘made using forced monkey labor’

Leading US chains including Costco and Walgreens have banned the sale of Thai coconut milk at the behest of Peta

Numerous supermarkets and wholesalers have suspended the sale of coconut milk over fears monkeys were forced to help manufacture it. Costo, Walgreens, Stop & Shop, Food Lion and Giant Food are among US retailers who have banned coconut products from Thailand amid claims it was manufactured by monkeys.

Peta spokesman Ingrid Newkirk said: ‘No kind shopper wants monkeys to be chained up and treated like coconut-picking machines. Costco made the right call to reject animal exploitation.’ Peta is now calling for other supermarkets, including Kroger, to follow suit and axe Thai coconut products.

The animal welfare group began investigating forced monkey labor last year, and discovered that some coconut farms force monkeys to pick up to 400 coconuts a day, before being shoved into cramped cages until their next shift.

Kent Stein accused the Tourism Authority of Thailand of promoting monkey labor, with the government-backed body promoting the Samui Monkey Center, where visitors can watch monkeys get trained up to become coconut pickers.

Stein told USA Today: ‘Just because something is legal or accepted it doesn’t mean it’s OK.

‘What really drives this change is retailers not supporting the product, and of course, customers not buying the product. Costco being a major player should have an impact.’

One Thai coconut milk manufacturer, Theppadungporn Coconut Company Ltd, said it completed an audit on 64 randomly-selected farms it uses, and said none of them used monkey labor.

Bosses there say they have also asked suppliers to sign a memorandum promising not to use monkey labor.

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