NEW YORK - Swiss food giant Nestle SA and U.S. candy and pet food company Mars pledged on Thursday to take steps to ensure their pet food supply chains are free from human rights abuses and illegally caught seafood - in a move welcomed by campaigners. Thailand had been previously named in alleged labour abuses, and is in the spotlight again in the new reform promises. Greenpeace said the move by the world's two largest pet food companies would put "significant" pressure on suppliers to end labor abuses. The United States is the largest consumer of pet food globally, according to the Pet Food Institute (PFI), the country's chief pet food makers trade association. Mars Petcare Inc. generates annual revenues of some $17 billion while Nestle Purina PetCare brings in nearly $12 billion annually, according to trade publication PetfoodIndustry.com.

Source: Bangkok Post March 16, 2017 20:15 UTC