UK among countries linked to migrant farmworker abuse cases
The agri-food industry recorded the highest number of migrant worker abuse cases of any sector in 2025, with more than 200 incidents exposing widespread exploitation across global food supply chains — including cases reported in the UK.
A total of 237 cases were documented in agri-food supply chains during the year, accounting for 32% of all incidents recorded in a global database tracking migrant worker abuse.
The United States reported the highest number of cases (31), followed by Canada (20) and the UK with 18 cases involving migrant farmworkers.
The figures come from analysis by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, which monitors reported cases of labour exploitation affecting migrant workers worldwide.
The majority of incidents — 179 cases — involved workers in agriculture and fishing. A further 53 were recorded in food processing and packing, while nine cases affected workers in food distribution and retail.
Throughout 2025, migrant labour remained essential to global food production. Workers “planted, picked and packed food across the globe”, helping to keep supermarket shelves stocked, fill labour shortages and maintain food security.
However, many of these workers were subjected to “unacceptable working conditions”, according to the findings.
Much of the reported exploitation occurred during fruit and vegetable harvesting, which accounted for 29 cases. A further 13 cases were linked to livestock farming.
Several incidents were tied to supply chains connected to multinational retailers including Costco, Walmart and Hannaford, as well as major restaurant chains such as McDonald’s.
Wage theft was the most common form of abuse reported among migrant farmworkers, appearing in 57 cases. This included salary deductions linked to debt repayments, contracts that listed fewer hours than workers actually completed, and payments that fell below minimum wage.
Health and safety breaches were also widespread, appearing in 46 cases. Workers were frequently exposed to dangerous conditions, including “extreme heat” and harmful chemicals.
Living conditions were also a major concern. Poor accommodation was reported in 42 cases, with farmworkers particularly affected — accounting for 28% of such reports compared with 15% across the wider database.
Catriona Fraser, migrant workers researcher at the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, said the data reflected growing risks facing migrant labour globally.
“These findings come amid escalating global instability. Conflict, climate breakdown and political hostility towards migrants are reshaping migration corridors and increasing vulnerability,” she said.
“Across sectors and geographies, migrant workers are being subjected to severe and systemic human rights violations, from widespread wage theft and violence, to conditions of forced labour.”
Fraser said the abuses reflected deeper structural problems within global supply chains.
“These abuses are not isolated failures: they are the result of extractive business models that prioritise profit at the expense of human rights, including by pushing risks down opaque supply chains through subcontracting, poor purchasing practices and weak oversight,” she said.
“At the same time, global economic shifts driven by the technological revolution and energy transition are creating new and diverse harms for migrant workforces.”
She added that companies must move beyond superficial compliance measures and prioritise stronger protections for workers.
“Companies can tackle these risks by moving beyond tick-box approaches and conducting human rights due diligence that centres the experiences of migrant workers,” Fraser said.
“The largest multinationals at the top of global value chains have the power and responsibility to drive this change and ensure just and equitable tech and energy transitions.”
The findings underline the vital role migrant workers play in food production — and the growing scrutiny facing companies over labour conditions in global and UK agricultural supply chains.
