Chocolate lovers are taking on slavery

The humble chocolate bar is taking on a noble cause this month in a campaign aimed at fighting slave labour.

Trade Aid in Palmerston North is a shop that promotes fair trade products and is on a mission to make labels on slave-free products mandatory.

As the current law stands labelling is only voluntary and Trade Aid is inviting consumers to pressure the Government into making it compulsory.

"It is amazing that in 2009 people are still willing to accept slave labour even though the abolition took place years and years ago," shop manager Nicky Healey said.

A choir will be singing outside the Broadway Ave shop on August 23 to mark the official anniversary of the abolition of slave labour. Free trade chocolate samples, with supplementary information, will also be available.

Trade Aid also hopes to promote the use of free trade practises by capitalising on the recent media attention on ingredients in more commercial brands of chocolate.

"There has been recent discussion in the media about the use of palm oil in chocolate but there is a much bigger issue of child slave labour," Ms Healey said.

- © Fairfax NZ News