Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands may be using leaves picked by exploited African workers to supply their factories in Italy’s €149m ($166m) tobacco industry. The companies bought 60% of the Italy's harvest in 2017, according to the European Leaf Tobacco Interbranch, but employees, including children, could have been forced to work up to 12 hours a day without contracts or health and safety measures. In an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Mr Mazzucato said that he had not heard about any children working on farms during his time at Marlboro. Despite there being a complex system of guarantees and safeguards in place for tobacco workers, more than 20 asylum seekers who spoke to the Guardian, including 10 who had worked in the tobacco fields during the 2018 season, reported rights violations and a lack of safety equipment. Philip Morris said it had not found any abuse, while Imperial Brands and British American Tobacco said they would investigate complaints.
Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands may be using leaves picked by exploited African workers to supply their factories in Italy’s €149m ($166m) tobacco industry. The companies bought 60% of the Italy's harvest in 2017, according to the European Leaf Tobacco Interbranch, but employees, including children, could have been forced to work up to 12 hours a day without contracts or health and safety measures. In an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Mr Mazzucato said that he had not heard about any children working on farms during his time at Marlboro. Philip Morris said it had not found any abuse, while Imperial Brands and British American Tobacco said they would investigate complaints.