Are Uyghur forced labor products hiding in your home?

New findings reveal that in addition to Uyghur forced labor, the Chinese government is engaging in large-scale land grabs in Uyghur communities across the region. The Hill reports that means the “bitter fruits” of the ongoing Uyghur genocide can be found in various products used every day in homes worldwide, like cosmetics and food items.  

Oppression found in kitchens and make-up cabinets  

Tragically, over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities are being forced to work in “re-education camps” in the Uyghur region of China. New research by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC) reveals that exploitation isn’t limited to unlawful detention and forced labor. Significantly, Uyghur region’s growing agricultural sector has been thriving by systematically confiscating Uyghur farmers’ land.  

Adrian Zenz, director of China Studies at VOC stated: 

“From 2001 to 2021, the region saw a 50-fold surge in the displacement of ethnic farmers by state-backed agribusinesses. In some localities, authorities openly acknowledge transferring as much as 90 percent of farmland away from ethnic farmers in a single season.” 

Conversely, the farmers are then forced into industrial work or agriculture. Sometimes even working for the same company that stole their land. All of this is part of the government’s plan to dismantle traditional Uyghur communities and forcibly assimilate them. Evidently another part of what the Chinese government is calling “population optimization” but most western nations call genocide.  

Chinese producers “raking in the profits” 

Currently China dominates the global tomato trade and the Uyghur Region (Xinjiang) is a key hub. Tomato products from the region are currently being exported to grocery store shelves all over to the world. According to Zenz, 15 % of the globe’s tomato paste, 10% of all chili peppers, 65% of pepper pigment used in cosmetics and food coloring are all coming out of the Uyghur region. Additionally, there is an expanding amount of the artificial sweetener stevia.  

Zenz shared: 

“Our research identified 72 international and 18 Chinese companies linked to Xinjiang’s agricultural products, including major brands like Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, Del Monte, PepsiCo, McCormick, Unilever, and L’Oréal maintaining direct or indirect connections.”  

Additionally, three major companies based in the Uyghur region currently operate subsidiaries in both the U.S. and Europe. Tellingly, when asked about these findings, companies pointed to supplier provided social audits. But experts say these audits cannot effectively assess state-imposed labor in China. Auditors are intimidated by threats and national security laws mean workers cannot speak freely.  

Therefore, the only way to address these injustices is to bolster existing legislation banning imports from the Uyghur region to try and account for the evolving tactics of the Chinese government. Freedom United stands by VOC and those who say inadequate audits will not stand. Consequently, a full and transparent disclosure of the supply chain for high-risk commodities is requisite. Regulators need to end supply chain obfuscation and increase the scrutiny of intermediary countries who are helping facilitate Uyghur genocide.  

You can learn more about Uyghur forced labor and take action by signing our petition to demand that companies cut ties with Uyghur forced labor. Only with real supply chain due diligence can we help stop the Uyghur genocide and keep forced labor off the dining table and out of our homes.