Axfood, Ica and Coop react to unreasonable working conditions for non-registered – Arbetet

At Ica Möllevången in Malmö, store manager Kajsa Tuvom reacts forcefully to the information in Arbetet.

The cucumber on the store’s beautifully lit vegetable counter would be so Chosen by the people who get 45 kroner per hour Not something she used to know.

– If so, it’s not good at all. There should be rules about such things in Sweden.

According to Kajsa Tuvom, it is important that you as a store take great responsibility for what is being sold. She also tries to do that.

Her shop is known in Malmö for its specialization in ethical food. The vegan section is large, and the selection of organic and ethically labeled products is even greater.

But to be able to guarantee ethical products, she believes it is important to conduct checks at a central level. Individual stores often lack this opportunity.

– I trust the ICA and expect them at the central level to ensure no undeclared work and low wages, says Kajsa Tuvom.

ICA: Demanding fair wages

Eka Central agrees. In a written comment, they write that they are clearly demanding fair wages for all Swedish suppliers.

If this is not followed, it can lead to consequences.

We have an ongoing dialogue with our suppliers. If necessary, we can conduct special follow-ups and we can also carry out inspections to make sure our requirements are met, says Jenny Gerdis, press officer for Ica.

Poor working conditions in Swedish vegetable picking would be widespread which neither the ICA nor Kajsa Tuvom claim to be aware of.

Axfood: Problems of guest workers

However, this is done at Axfood, which owns Hemköp and Willys. They have already been alerted of the problem.

– For fresh fruits and vegetables, we identified similar problems of foreign workers around 2015 and then followed up the issue with a number of visits and dialogues. We’ve taken the lead on IP business conditions, says Christina Aresco Burling, group manager for sustainability at Axfood’s Dagab Procurement and Logistics.

IP Working Conditions is an certification process where companies undertake to take responsibility for the working environment and to provide good working conditions.

The image of Christina Ariskog Bürling is that since then conditions have improved in Swedish vegetable production.

But it reacts aggressively to the information in the Arbetet review and believes that it may lead to the termination of agreements with the relevant suppliers.

It is very important for Swedish farmers to follow the rules we have put together. Cristina Aresco Burling says that if the rules are circumvented, it will have consequences for our cooperation.

Cooperative: shortcomings must be addressed

Therese Kapp, Coop’s press officer, agrees. Coop welcomes review and takes information very seriously.

– If it turns out that one of our suppliers does not meet the certification or the requirements of our suppliers, this is a reason for Coop to audit the suppliers, demand a plan of action and eventually terminate an agreement if the deficiencies are not fixed.

This process has already begun at Axfood. In it, the focus is on identifying those affected and ensuring that they receive fair compensation.

The focus is on investigating whether someone has done something wrong and, if so, making sure that people who may have received incorrect and unacceptable terms and compensation are compensated. But we also want to make sure such abuses are avoided in the future, says Christina Ariskog Burling.

Axfood wants to talk to the union

According to her, a good way to prevent misconduct is to continue to work in IP working conditions and to have a closer dialogue with the trade union side.

Many of our suppliers express that IP working conditions have helped improve conditions in a serious way, she says.

All chain stores agree. They also agree that the type of conditions described in the business review should not occur.

– We have a great responsibility. All of our suppliers must follow our Code of Conduct, which provides for decent and good working conditions in accordance with law and collective agreement, concluded Christina Arescu Burling.