Fresh blow to Del Monte as more UK stores boycott products

A truck collecting pineapples from Del Monte's farm in Thika. [File, Standard]

Del Monte Kenya has suffered a fresh blow after two British supermarkets announced they have stopped sourcing for tinned pineapples from its plantation in Thika due to ongoing human rights abuse accusations.

This is in relation to killings allegedly committed by security guards at the expansive farm targeting those stealing pineapples, which were documented last year by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and British newspaper The Guardian.

The European retailers, Morrisons and Iceland, join four other major supermarkets - Tesco, Asda, Sainbury's and Waitrose - in stopping selling pineapple products from Del Monte.

According to the expose by TBIJ and The Guardian, the violence has allegedly continued on the farm over the last year with four men found dead at a river near the farm in December.

In another incident, bystanders were allegedly struck by stray bullets during conflicts between police and local youth, according to recent findings by the TBIJ.

Morrison's action followed criticism for continuing to stock featuring products from the farm.

"We are moving tinned pineapple sourcing out of Kenya until Del Monte's human rights improvement plan has been fully implemented," Morrison's, the fifth largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom, was quoted by The Mirror as saying on Friday.

A spokesperson for Iceland, which has over 900 stores across the UK, said: "We can confirm that Iceland does not stock products from the farms in question."

Aine Clarke, of the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, a non-profit committed to advancing human rights in business, said: "It is crucial for companies to demonstrate that they have engaged in a dialogue with any stakeholders reportedly affected by allegations of abuse."

In March, De Monte announced the sacking of 214 guards at the farm and replaced them with others from G4S Kenya.