Target has joined several other retailers to drop coconut products from a Thailand company after allegations that its farms use monkey labor.
Target will no longer carry Chaokoh coconut products in its stores, amid allegations that the manufacturer still used monkey labor at its coconut farms in Thailand, Target confirmed to NBC News on Tuesday. The retailer said it took the product off its shelves last year, but the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently announced the decision.
“We believe in the humane treatment of animals and expect those who do business with us to do the same,” Target said. “We take the claims against Chaokoh seriously, and as they could not handle the issues adequately, we decided in November 2020 to remove their product from our range.”
PETA claimed last year that its investigators found that young monkeys were chained and trained to pick coconuts on several farms in the South Asian country, including farms used to produce Chaokoh coconut milk and water. Investigators found that conditions were 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.
“The terrified young monkeys are forced to perform frustrating and difficult tasks, such as turning heavy coconuts until they fall from a great height from the trees,” PETA claims on its website. “An investigator has learned that if monkeys try to defend themselves, they can pull their teeth at the dog.”
Several retailers dropped Chaokoh coconut products last year, including Costco, Walgreens, Food Lion, Giant Food and Stop & Shop, NBC’s “Today” reported in October. Monkey labor is not uncommon in Thailand, Kent Stein, chief operating officer of PETA, told “Today” last year.
“We are working with Thai animal groups who have told us that they are also fighting it,” he said. “They do not want to see the monkeys being abused in this way. It’s just an old-world, unfortunate cruelty. ‘
Theppadungporn Coconut Co. Ltd., which owns manufacturers 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 reports in the news, we want to make it clear that we as well as our associates do not support the use of monkey labor in the harvest of coconuts,” the company’s tweet said.
Chaokoh said all his suppliers had signed a pledge not to use monkey labor and to ensure they complied with the Thai Ministry of Agriculture’s audits.
