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Target has joined several other retailers in ditching coconut products from a Thailand-based company over allegations its farms use monkey labor.
Target will no longer sell Chaokoh coconut products in its stores amid allegations its maker continued to use monkey labor on its coconut plantations in Thailand, Target confirmed Tuesday to NBC News. The retailer said it removed the product from its shelves last year, but the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently released the decision.
“We believe in the humane treatment of animals and we expect those who do business with us to do the same,” Target said. “We take the allegations against Chaokoh seriously, and given that they were unable to sufficiently address the concerns raised, we have made the decision to withdraw their product from our assortment in November 2020.”
PETA claimed last year that its investigators discovered that young monkeys were chained and trained to pick coconuts on several farms in the South Asian country, including farms used to produce coconut milk and coconut milk. Chaokoh water. Investigators found the terms unchanged more than a year later on subsequent visits, PETA said in an update earlier this month, in which it announced that Target had abandoned the brand.
“The terrified young monkeys are forced to complete frustrating and difficult tasks, like twisting heavy coconuts until they fall from trees from a great height,” PETA said on its website. “An investigator has learned that if the monkeys try to defend themselves, their canines can be pulled out.”
Several retailers ditched Chaokoh coconut products last year, including Costco, Walgreens, Food Lion, Giant Food and Stop & Shop, NBC “Today” reported in October. Monkey work is not uncommon in Thailand, Kent Stein, corporate responsibility manager at PETA, told “Today” last year.
“We work with groups of Thai animals who have told us that they are also struggling with this,” he said. “They don’t want to see monkeys abused this way. It’s just unfortunate old world cruelty.”
Theppadungporn Coconut Co. Ltd, which makes Chaokoh, did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment. Chaokoh posted a statement on his Twitter account last year denying the use of monkey labor on his farms.
“In light of the disturbing information in the news, we would like to make it clear that we and our associated parties do not support the use of monkey labor in the coconut harvest,” the tweet said. society.
Chaokoh said all of its suppliers have signed a pledge not to use monkey labor and to ensure they comply with Thai Agriculture Ministry audits.
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