UK: Who Pays ?
Three-quarters of the food is purchased in supermarkets. Their dominance on the UK high street means producers and suppliers in developing countries have little choice but to deal with them in order to reach the UK shopper.
This gives supermarkets tremendous power, power which is often being misused. The pressure on suppliers to deliver more for less is passed on to workers in the form of low wages, job insecurity and poor working conditions. It is women in particular who find that their already disadvantaged position in the labour market makes them vulnerable to attempts by suppliers to drive down pay and conditions.
“We are paying for the price wars between supermarkets in your country.” Costa Rican banana supplier to UK supermarkets.
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