The global tomato paste supply chain is tainted by Uyghur forced labour in the Uyghur Region of Xinjiang, China. Many products labelled as “Italian” actually contain tomatoes produced under harsh conditions in China. UK supermarkets are complicit in selling tomato puree products linked to these unethical practices. This situation underscores the urgent need for transparency and ethical sourcing in the global food industry and for the UK to introduce stronger legislation to ban such products.
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What Is Happening To Uyghur Muslims?
Millions of Uyghurs are currently being detained by Chinese authorities and held in concentration and forced labour camps in the Uyghur Region of China, or forcibly transported to work in facilities in other regions in China. Men and women are separated from their families, made to denounce their faith, and subjected to inhumane conditions including torture, sexual abuse and forced sterilisation. An Independent People’s Uyghur Tribunal (2021) panel found ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt for nine out of 11 Crimes Against Humanity, for Torture, and for Genocide on the ground of Article 2d (prevention of births) committed by the People’s Republic of China against the Uyghurs.
The international community has recognised these actions as crimes against humanity, with some going as far as labelling them as genocide. Yet, despite this growing awareness, Chinese state propaganda and economic influence have silenced many governments and corporations.
Too many companies, across industries such as apparel, solar panels, technology and agriculture, are complicit in Uyghur forced labour throughout their supply chains, imposing conditions intended to destroy the Uyghur people, with little if any accountability, while continuing to profit from Uyghur forced labour. Many of these forced labour products enter global supply chains, including the UK’s. Despite the UK’s Modern Slavery Act (2015), gaps in enforcement and corporate accountability allow these goods to reach British markets, enabling China to profit from these extreme human rights abuses.
Tomato Paste Industry
Forced labour is a central pillar of Chinese oppression, with Uyghur detainees and their families coerced into working in factories under brutal conditions. The Xinjiang region in China is a major hub for tomato production and exports, serving as the central area of slave labour against Uyghur Muslims. One of the most alarming supply chain connections is using Uyghur labour in tomato paste production, a commodity that finds its way into supermarkets in the UK, such as Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and Morrisons. These are the big corporations that we put faith in for our food, yet they are covering up modern slavery. These companies, knowingly or unknowingly, have profited from this exploitation, allowing these human rights abuses to persist. Every purchase of tainted products strengthens the Chinese government’s ability to continue its repression, making global consumers complicit in modern slavery.
Why This Matters To The Jewish Community
Slavery is fundamental to the narrative of the Jewish people. The Jewish festival of Pesach recalls the story of Exodus, in which the Israelites were liberated from the shackles of slavery, and we acknowledge our freedom in prayer: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא עָשַֽׂנִי עָֽבֶד.
For Jewish people, this issue is not just one of human rights but of historical responsibility. The Holocaust was enabled by a world that largely turned a blind eye to the plight of Jews, refusing to believe (or choosing to ignore) the atrocities unfolding before them. The Nazi regime exploited Jewish forced labour in ghettos and concentration camps, using human suffering as a means of economic production. Today, China employs scarily similar tactics against the Uyghurs, with indoctrination, dehumanisation, and mass forced labour forming the backbone of its repression. The lessons of the Holocaust compel Jewish communities to speak out against such crimes, refusing to let history repeat itself through silence.
Beyond historical parallels, the Jewish community has long been at the forefront of justice movements, standing against oppression when it appears. If we say “Never Again” with conviction, we must extend that same promise to the Uyghurs, using our voices to demand corporate accountability, governmental sanctions, visibility of supply chains, and divestment from products linked to forced labour found within our supermarkets. This is not just about standing in solidarity, it is about taking real action to disrupt the systems of oppression that profit from human suffering. The Uyghur crisis is a defining human rights issue of our time, and as a people who have endured genocide and enslavement, Jewish communities must be among the loudest voices calling for justice.
Take Action
Businesses and investors must make sure they have no links to the region, and governments should use all legislative measures within their control — such as import controls and sanctions, to put pressure on the Chinese government to end the persecution.
- Demand Transparency – Contact Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and Morrisons CEOs directly, urging them to disclose their supply chains and ensure they are free from Uyghur forced labour.
- Raise Awareness – Share this issue within synagogues, community centres, and online platforms to educate and mobilise action.
- Engage Politically – Write to MP, councils, and government officials, calling for stronger enforcement of the Modern Slavery Act (2015) to prevent modern slavery in supply chains, and import bans on goods linked to forced labour.
- Support Ethical Alternatives – Promote and purchase ethically sourced tomato products that respect the human rights of all.
Download the PDF here.
