For 20 years, migrant agricultural workers in the Almeria and Huelva regions of southern Spain have faced flagrant abuses of their basic rights. They have been refused legal wages, fired for joining unions, forced to work in unsafe conditions, shouted at for taking toilet breaks and sexually assaulted and harassed.
As a 2022 report funded by the Spanish government says,“The miracle of Spanish food exports would not exist without labour exploitation.” This is especially pronounced in the regions of Huelva and Almeria,
Produce on our supermarket shelves comes from these regions. During the winter months of December to February, one in every six tomatoes eaten in the UK is likely to be from Almeria. At least six out of every 10 strawberries between January and March are likely to be from Huelva.
Report: Supermarkets and migrant workers’ rights abuses in Spain, Ethical Consumer, 2023
DOWNLOAD