Without wishing to drag this thread down it’s very difficult to blame a government who are enacting “the will of the people” by leaving our closest/largest trading partner and are now actively seeking to forge business and trade relationships with countries that will help maintain and grow our economy. Yes I know we’ve traded with China long before the whole Brexit debate but they will have to become more of a partner not less.
Aside from China let’s not forget as Horseman has said that as a nation we procure and trade with many countries with questionable (at the very least) moral compasses.
As individuals, as Scotchegg has alluded to, many want cheap products or products quickly delivered to them. As a result of that we have global brands with huge supply chains that often end up being supported by small, unsafe and environmentally harmful facilities where workers human rights are violated on a daily basis.
This isn’t limited to China though. Look at the Indian brick trade, coffee and tobacco farming in South America, child exploitation in hazelnut production in Turkey, armed groups and child labour involvement in the extraction of 3TG minerals in Africa and so on. Let’s also not forget the thousands of people in the U.K. who have been referred by the NCA national referral mechanism (of which over 3000 were categorised as child or adult labour exploration cases).
Society needs to change and perhaps the pandemic will force that upon us. I’ve used more local grocers, breweries, butchers in the last two weeks than last 10 years. I work with NGOs and businesses looking at exploitation in supply chains and I’m as guilty as the next person. It’s not possible (in my opinion) to live the perfect life but there are choices people can make that make these things less profitable all round.
Not using Wetherspoons and Sports Direct being a case in point when this whole sorry saga is over.
