Your treat is tricking you
Ann Crosby ‘25
Graphic by Ann Crosby
Every year, trick-or-treaters flock to the streets, filling their bags with candy; on average, 50 percent of Americans eat some kind of Halloween candy each year, and 45 percent purchase Halloween candy for trick-or-treating. However, unbeknownst to consumers, many of these tasty treats come from a not-so-sweet process.
Most common chocolate Halloween candies are produced by companies that exploit children through child labor, depriving them of an education and exposing them to harmful pesticides.
These candies are prominent in the Catlin Gabel School (CGS) community and can often be found in C&Cs, scattered through common areas, and abundant at most clubs. When interviewed about her candy usage, Junior Violet Daly said, “I often bring Halloween candy to my club during the Halloween season,” a common practice among club leaders.
Most of the cacao in these chocolates is produced in West Africa, specifically in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana. In the 17th century, European trade ships brought cacao from the Americas to western Africa to use local cheap labor, thus meeting the demands of the growing chocolate industry. Cacao is most prosperous in equatorial environments, so it has become a successful crop, with 60 percent of current cacao production in this region.
2.46 million child laborers produce most of this cacao. They are forced to sacrifice their childhoods for cacao production. Most of these children live in extreme poverty and enter the cacao industry to provide financial support for their families.
Additionally, many children are sold to traffickers, sometimes by their family members, who subsequently sell the children to cacao farmers. Children are usually sold for only around $35.00, even at ages as young as 12. Once sold to a farm, child laborers are unlikely to see their family for many years, if ever again.
While working on cacao farms, children are subjected to what the International Labor Organization considers the “worst forms of child labor,” meaning they are constantly in unhealthy, unsafe, and immoral conditions. Some children climb the cacao trees to harvest pods, while others use chainsaws and machetes to cut the forests and open the cacao pods. Then, the seeds inside the pods are loaded into sacks weighing up to 100 pounds, and the children are expected to carry them back through the farm.
Additionally, many cacao farms use harmful chemicals to control pests. Child laborers are routinely exposed to these toxic chemicals, causing lasting negative health impacts. About 50 percent of children use these chemicals while working in cacao production.
When child laborers are not working, their living conditions and education are far from satisfactory. Most do not attend school, which violates labor standards and national laws. It also continues the cycle of child labor because, without an education, many children will not be able to find jobs outside of the cacao industry once they reach adulthood.
The children are fed small portions of cheap food that lack nutritional value, usually corn paste or native fruits, and they sleep on hard floors instead of going home to their families. Many children report feeling hungry and cannot remember the last time they attended school. Additionally, children have described getting sick but not having enough money for medicine.
Child laborers never see the fruits of their labor, and many have never tasted chocolate. The cacao beans are sold to major corporations, including Nestlé, Cargill, and Hershey’s. These companies benefit financially from buying cheap cacao but are also aware of the unjust labor practices used to produce it.
All three of these companies have been sued for using child labor and violating labor laws; however, they have done little to improve their supply chains. For example, Nestlé’s efforts to reduce child labor in West Africa only affected five percent of their farms.
In 2001, many companies, including Nestle, Mars, and Cargill, signed an agreement stating they would eliminate the “worst forms of child labor” in their supply chains by 2005. However, all three companies missed this and two subsequent deadlines in 2008 and 2010, respectively. Then, they stated that they would reduce child labor by 20 percent by 2020, but there is no evidence that this was completed– recent statistics indicate that child labor has continued to increase.
Reform in the chocolate industry is necessary and long overdue. Positively, some foundations, organizations, and companies are working to end child labor in the chocolate industry, and consumers must support these initiatives. The most prevalent of these organizations are Fairtrade and The Rainforest Alliance.
Fairtrade has a simple mission: to make trade more fair and ensure that producers receive good wages. Fairtrade works with farming organizations to create co-ops where communities unite their resources to become financially stable. Additionally, a company must not use child labor, forced labor, or harmful pesticides to qualify for Fairtrade.
Similarly to Fairtrade, The Rainforest Alliance is a nonprofit working to make “responsible business the new normal.” This organization aims to mitigate climate change, protect farmers, and advocate for human rights.
They provide farmers with resources, such as the “child labor tool kit,” which offers simple steps to ensure that working children are treated ethically and that child labor legislation is monitored. Additionally, Rainforest Alliance prioritizes giving living wages to farmers and farm workers, thus ensuring that they have the necessary materials to provide a safe working environment.
These two organizations have positively impacted numerous communities; however, there is an important caveat. Some companies mislead consumers by obtaining certifications for some of their supplies. For example, Nestle is Rainforest Alliance certified, but only 42 percent of its cacao is sourced from certified farms.
Because of this, it is important to research companies that ethically source 100 percent of their cacao before purchasing. Below is a table of chocolate companies that ethically source 100 percent of their cacao and a list of companies that use child labor. This table also includes data from a survey of 106 CGS students about the companies from which they consume chocolate.
Chocolate certification data from Green America and CGS statistics from a student survey
The chocolate industry generates 133 billion dollars in profits each year. Reforming supply chains of this size is difficult, but every consumer can do their part to ensure they do not support these companies.
Of the 106 students surveyed in the CGS upper school, 41% have not heard of this issue. Many CGS students reported enjoying Butterfingers, Reese’s, Kit Kats, Twix, Snickers, and other unethically sourced candies. Senior Rachel Cohrs reported she likes “Reese's peanut butter cups, Snickers, and Smarties,” and Senior Lily Wang said, “My favorite candy is probably Twix.”
However, some community members have suggestions for ethical choices. An anonymous source remarked, “Tony's Chocolonely is fire,” and another source said, “Tony's Chocolonely pretzel toffee and Milk Caramel Sea Salt.” Additionally, Cloudforest Chocolate and Chocolove were popular recommendations.
By choosing to support ethical companies and rejecting those who use child labor, consumers can enjoy their chocolate without guilt and contribute to a more significant movement fighting for justice. It is crucial to make choices that improve children's lives and ensure fair labor practices this Halloween and in the future. Consumers are responsible for making a positive difference—one chocolate bar at a time.