What’s spookier than ghosts?
From Ellie Finkelstein, Freedom United
| As Halloween approaches, millions of us are stocking up on chocolate and candy—and few companies profit more than Mondelēz, the maker of Cadbury, Toblerone, and Milka. But what Mondelēz is trying to hide in their chocolate is far darker than nougat or caramel. The newly released Cocoa Barometer 2025 shows that even with record-high cocoa prices, millions of smallholder farmers in West Africa are still trapped in poverty, while deforestation, hazardous child labor, and human trafficking remain causes for concern.[1] |
| Take action |
| And instead of stepping up, Mondelēz is trying to delay the EU Deforestation Regulation—the very regulation designed to make companies’ cocoa supply chains transparent, a key tool in eradicating environmental and human rights abuses. Pretty spooky, right? This comes from the same company that once claimed to support stronger sustainability laws. Now, while deforestation spreads, poverty deepens, and over 1.5 million children still work in hazardous conditions on cocoa farms, Mondelēz is trying to slow down transparency. This Halloween, let’s make sure the only thing scary about chocolate is how quickly it disappears from your candy bowl—not the exploitation behind it. Because frankly, what’s more chilling than a multibillion-dollar company saying it “cares about ethics” while fighting to keep the horrors in its supply chain in the dark? |
| Tell Mondelēz: stop delaying transparency! |
| When companies step up, we can trick or treat in a world assured that no child pays the price for our indulgence. That’s why we must demand that Mondelēz not stall progress for the entire cocoa sector. In solidarity, Ellie and the team supporting the Freedom United community. [1] https://voicenetwork.cc/cocoa-barometer/ |
| Ellie Finkelstein Campaigner and News Editor, Freedom United |
