Ben & Jerry’s is facing a class action lawsuit over its supply chain that allegedly employs migrant child labor.
The plaintiff, Dovid Tyrnauer, alleges he would not have purchased or would have paid less for Ben & Jerry’s products if he had known migrant child labor was used. The ice cream brand aligns itself with ethically-sourced products, which the plaintiff claims is a “breach of consumer trust” that amounts to “pompous virtue-signaling.” (RECENT: Biden Admin Opens Probe Into Illegal Immigrant Children Reportedly Working In American Cereal Factories)
The lawsuit was filed after The New York Times reported on major U.S. companies exploiting child labor. The report said migrant child labor is used to process milk in Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
“If migrant children needed to work full time, it was preferable for them to have jobs at a well-monitored workplace,” said Ben & Jerry’s head of values-led sourcing, Cheryl Pinto.
“We are deeply concerned by the claims made in this story, and do not tolerate any suppliers who are not adhering to the law. Let us be extremely clear: Ben & Jerry’s stands in strong opposition to child labor. We have a long history of standing for justice and equity, and using our business to improve the lives and livelihoods of those we serve and work with. These beliefs do not stop at our company’s supply chain,” Ben & Jerry’s said a statement following the report.
The class action lawsuit also claims Ben & Jerry’s uses social justice issues as part of its marketing. The ice cream seemingly promotes politicians such as Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former President Barack Obama. They also make limited ice creams for social justice issues such as “Change Is Brewing” for police reform in 2021, “Pecan Resist” against former President Donald Trump in 2019 and “Empower Mint” for alleged voter suppression in 2016. The most recent ice cream in 2023 promotes the “mission to end modern slavery in cocoa farming”.
Republicans are blaming the use of migrant child labor on President Joe Biden’s open-border immigration policies.
Biden brings child labor to America #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/YJjiSIhcFZ
— Jesse Watters Primetime (@jesseprimetime) February 28, 2023
The Biden administration responded by announcing a new task force to address the problem of the illegal exploitation of child labor.
Ben & Jerry’s told the Daily Caller they could not comment on matters of litigation.