The committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' report on the use of Gangmasters within the UK food system is "a damning indictment of the supermarkets practice of squeezing the life out of suppliers," according to Dr Charles Trotman, Country Land and Business Association's Rural Economy Adviser. The National Farmer's Union also welcomes the report, saying that:
The report recognises that a significant number of gangmasters are involved in illegal activities and that this was leading to the exploitation and mistreatment of workers. It also highlights the government's failure to take the initiative by providing sufficient funding and the political leadership to tackle the problem.
The British Retail Consortium counters, stating that "Retailers are committed to fair competition and take a responsible attitude to the ethical operation of the food chain. As well as adhering to all UK and EU legislation retailers have introduced procedures designed to prevent the use of illegal practices within their supply systems."
The government's Pesticide Safety Directorate 2002 report shows that 30% of surveyed food and drink in the UK contains detectable pesticide residues, rising to 43% for fresh fruit and vegetables.
Friends of the Earth have condemned the findings, saying that "supermarkets claim to be reducing pesticides in our food, but little progress has been made in the past five years. Nearly half of their fresh fruit and veg still contain residue traces."
Defra on the other hand welcomes the report, maintaining that it demonstrates the high standards of food safety in the UK.
In related news, The European Commission will reportedly invest 14 million over five years to create a Network of Excellence (NoE) to investigate the presence of harmful chemicals in the food chain.
