Hersheys fails for child labor

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Parents are urged not to buy candy from major chocolate maker Hershey this year for Halloween candy. Hershey has been cited with the lowest score among candy makers for its failure to end child trafficking and labor in third world countries. They offer ways to hold Hershey’s accountable for their actions and to give out fair trade candy to trick or treaters this Halloween. The press release was issued by Green America, an organization that works to create a socially just and environmentally stable society.

I found this press release really interesting because unlike the others I frequently see on the site, this release carried a social message and their primary goal wasn’t to sell any products. It reminded me that press releases are good for more than just trying to get your product some free media attention, and that they can bring social messages to media as well. At first, I was interested as to who exactly was sending the release, because I thought it might be a competitor trying to discredit the candy giant. However, it gave it more credibility when I found out that it was an environmental/social justice group whose primary concern is the welfare of the children working in Africa for Hershey.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/is-there-child-slave-labor-in-your-childs-halloween-candy-105256258.html