Barry Callebaut controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2024
Continued Russian operations
Ukraine added Barry Callebaut to its International Sponsors of War list, citing continued operation of three Russian factories and alleged use of the company’s products in Russian military rations.
2022
Salmonella contamination at Wieze
A Salmonella finding at the Belgian Wieze facility halted production. The contamination was traced to soy lecithin from a single tanker delivery; operations resumed gradually after cleaning and controls.
2021
Forced-labor and child-slavery lawsuit
Eight former child slaves from Mali filed a class action naming Barry Callebaut and other chocolate companies. The plaintiffs alleged that the companies benefited from or failed to prevent forced labor in Ivorian cocoa production.
2017
Alleged cocoa-linked deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire
Mighty Earth alleged that cocoa purchased by Barry Callebaut was linked to illegal cultivation in protected forests and national parks in Côte d’Ivoire. A follow-up report in 2018 argued that progress after industry commitments remained limited.