Correspondence
Email sent to the PR team at Edeka.
The email described links between the company's supplier, Normad Foods, and Uyghur forced labor at Chinese seafood processing plants. The email asked: Could you confirm whether white fish sourced from Yantai Sanko, Yantai Longwin and Qingdao Tianyuan has been used in any of the Iglo branded products sold by Edeka since 2018?
Gernot Kasel in Edeka's Corporate Communications/Public Affairs Department sent a statement: "Thank you very much for your request. However, we are very sorry that, as a retailer, we cannot help you here. The products you mentioned are branded products. The brand manufacturer who distributes and markets these products is fully responsible for compliance with all quality standards in the supply chain. We therefore ask you to contact the Iglo company directly with your questions."
The Outlaw Ocean Project's publishing partner in Germany, Die Zeit, contacted Edeka for comment on the investigation.
Gernot Kasel in Edeka's Corporate Communications/Public Affairs Department replied with a statement: "As Germany's leading food retailer, we take our social responsibility seriously and are committed to protecting and respecting human rights. With the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) in force since the beginning of the year, companies are required, among other things, to implement due diligence measures such as risk management with prevention and remediation measures, as well as active complaint management and regular reporting. Please be assured that we have firmly established all necessary processes and structures within our group of companies to fully comply with the specific requirements of the LkSG. In this context, we have forwarded the statements in the investigations of the research association 'The Ocean Outlaw Project' to the responsible department for further review."
Gernot Kasel in Edeka's Corporate Communications/Public Affairs Department emailed The Outlaw Ocean Project's publishing partner in Germany, Die Zeit, reiterating that Edeka's statement dated October 9, 2023, remains the company's current position.
The Outlaw Ocean Project's publishing partner in Germany, Die Zeit, asked Aldi South for an update on its internal review into the findings of The Outlaw Ocean Project’s investigation.
Edeka’s press team replied that the information from The Outlaw Ocean Project’s investigation were forwarded to the company’s research department, and that due to the complex supply chains involved it will take more time to conduct a thorough review.