Target joined several other retailers in launching coconut products from a company based in Thailand, after allegations that its farms use monkey labor.
Target will no longer sell Chaokoh coconut products in its stores amid claims that its manufacturer continues to use monkey labor on its coconut farms in Thailand, Target confirmed to NBC News on Tuesday. The retailer said it removed the product from its shelves last year, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently released the decision.
“We believe in the humane treatment of animals and expect those who do business with us to do the same,” said Target. “We take the claims made against Chaokoh seriously, and since they were unable to sufficiently address the issues raised, we made the decision to remove their product from our assortment in November 2020.”
PETA claimed last year that its investigators found young monkeys chained and trained to harvest coconuts at various farms in the southern Asian country, including farms used to produce Chaokoh coconut milk and water. Investigators found the conditions unchanged more than a year later on subsequent visits, PETA said in an update earlier this month, in which it announced that Target had abandoned the brand.
“Terrified young monkeys are forced to perform frustrating and difficult tasks, such as twisting heavy coconuts until they fall from trees from a great height,” said PETA on its website. “An investigator found that if monkeys try to defend themselves, their canines can be pulled out.”
Several retailers abandoned Chaokoh coconut products last year, including Costco, Walgreens, Food Lion, Giant Food and Stop & Shop, NBC’s “Today”, reported in October. Monkey work is not uncommon in Thailand, Kent Stein, director of corporate responsibility at PETA, told “Today” last year.
“We work with groups of Thai animals that have told us that they are also fighting it,” he said. “They don’t want to see monkeys being abused in this way. It’s just old-world cruelty, unhappy. “
Theppadungporn Coconut Co. Ltd, which makes Chaokoh, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News. Chaokoh posted a statement on his Twitter account last year denying the use of monkey labor on his farms.
“In light of the disturbing news, we would like to make it clear that we and our associated parties do not support the use of monkey labor in harvesting coconuts,” said the company’s tweet.
Chaokoh said all of his suppliers signed a pledge not to use monkey labor and to ensure that they comply with audits by the Thai Ministry of Agriculture.
