This week as millions of British shoppers take advantage of cut price supermarket deals, international development charity ActionAid is taking the unusual step of asking consumers to spare 5p for Tesco this Christmas.

Most shoppers are completely unaware that many of the women who pick and pack supermarkets’ fruit in the developing world can barely afford enough to eat. Yet if Tesco paid an additional 5p per kilo of apples to their South African suppliers, farm workers could earn a decent wage and afford to feed their children properly.

The reality of life for pickers and packers of Tesco’s South African Granny Smiths – including single mother of three Gertruida Baartman – are poverty wages in often dangerous working conditions, surviving on only 38p per hour.

Jenny Ricks, campaigns officer at ActionAid said: “We are calling on shoppers to show Tesco just how easy it is to make a difference. Consumers don’t want people in developing countries to be exploited to provide their food, and it doesn’t have to be this way. Give Tesco your 5p to help get them started.”

It sounds easy – especially given Tesco’s staggering half year profits of £1.43 billion. But to date, they and many other supermarkets have resisted attempts to introduce regulation that would require supermarkets to treat overseas suppliers better.

In April, after an extensive two year investigation, the Competition Commission ruled in favour of a supermarket watchdog to oversee relationships with suppliers.

Tesco could pay for its share of the watchdog with profits from just five hours’ trading. Jenny Ricks continued: “It would cost Tesco very little to sign up to the watchdog, but would make a huge difference to peoples’ lives. Effectively this is a drop in the ocean for supermarkets who could easily absorb any additional costs out of their profits without penalising UK shoppers.”

For every £1.50 shoppers spend on South African apples, just 8p goes to workers. If Tesco gave them another 5p they could feed their families properly. Customers can show Tesco how little it costs to be ethical by posting 5p to Tesco’s head office, or hand the 5p in at their local store when they do their weekly shop – just ask for the manager.  And remember – every action helps!

Jenny Ricks concluded: “These partnerships with suppliers in the developing world could provide a way out of poverty for so many if managed correctly, but at present they are too often unfair and exploitative.”

The league of shame
In a new league table released by ActionAid today, the supermarket giant is stuck mid-table, refusing to openly commit to a new watchdog that would ensure fairer treatment for overseas suppliers. As the UK’s largest supermarket, ActionAid is calling on Tesco to lead the way and sign up.

Sainsbury’s languish at the bottom, whilst Aldi emerges on top, publicly in favour of a watchdog. ActionAid says that if a hard discounter like Aldi supports the watchdog, it’s inexcusable that bigger retailers are not doing the same.