An Oxfam briefing paper, titled Paid up? Living wage efforts in banana supply chains of Dutch and German supermarkets, published this week, examine progress made by supermarkets in the Netherlands and Germany in working towards living wages in their banana supply chains.
According to the report, most supermarkets assessed have introduced time-bound targets to reduce living wage gaps in their own-brand banana supply chains. In the Netherlands, supermarkets have committed to reducing the gap by at least 75 per cent by 2025, while in Germany, major retailers have pledged to source at least 50 per cent of their bananas as "living wage bananas" by the end of 2025. However, the report states that a gap remains between commitments and implementation.
The report suggests that achieving sustained wage increases would require supermarkets to take further measures, including paying higher prices and participating in sector-wide initiatives with involvement from trade unions. It also highlights the role of Banana Link in contributing research and analysis on living wage gaps in countries such as Ecuador and Costa Rica.
Among its recommendations, the report calls for coordinated approaches to implementing living wages, rather than individual actions by companies. It also suggests that supermarkets assess and verify wage gaps, including gender pay gaps, through participatory processes and develop action plans with those affected. Additional recommendations include adopting purchasing practices that support higher prices, fair payment terms, and longer-term contracts; engaging in dialogue with public authorities, producers, and trade unions to support collective bargaining and wage improvements; and increasing transparency around wage gaps and the impact of measures taken. The report also recommends strengthening gender-focused approaches, ensuring protection for workers and complainants, and considering broader approaches such as living income for smallholder farmers and agroecological production.
Source: BananaLink
