Bittersweet Chocolate: The Truth Behind the International Chocolate Industry

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The production and sale of food and drinks generates billions worldwide. Corporations that produce on a larger scale, and lately retailers, control the market and receive the biggest share of the revenues. However, when it comes down to taking responsibility for the working and environmental conditions along the supply chains, these corporations stress that they are under no legal obligation. This report looks behind the curtains of the international chocolate industry, uncovering the massive imbalances in the sector and the social and environmental challenges that cocoa producers are facing. Our geographical focus lies in West Africa - Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon - as most of the cocoa processed in Europe originates there. The report covers the most important stages in the chocolate supply chain, focusing both on one of its most powerful actors, the supermarkets, as well as on the most vulnerable group of participants: cocoa farmers, (migrant) farm-workers, children and especially women. The report closes with demands to different actors and policy-makers, and recommendations for chocolate consumers, including a label-check.

You can find the results of the chocolate check 2016 here

A detailed explanation of labels and their assessment can be downloaded here

Infographic can be downloaded here

The Executive Summary of the new research report „Bittersweet Chocolate: The Truth Behind the International Chocolate Industry“ is here for DOWNLOAD

The full research report (IN ENGLISH) can be downloaded here

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