Summary

An investigation revealed that “Italian” tomato purees sold in UK and German supermarkets likely contain tomatoes grown in China’s Xinjiang province, linked to forced labor involving Uyghur and other minorities.

Testing found 17 products, many from Italian supplier Petti, containing Chinese tomatoes despite labels suggesting Italian origins.

Supermarkets disputed the findings, though some, like Lidl, admitted past use of Chinese tomatoes.

The EU is strengthening laws to address forced labor in supply chains, while critics warn the UK’s weaker regulations risk making it a “dumping ground” for such products.