McDonald's and supermarkets failed to spot slavery

Nine victims of modern slavery were forced to work at a McDonald's in Cambridgeshire and a bakery supplying major UK supermarkets, including Asda and Tesco, over a period of four years. A gang exploited these individuals, primarily from the Czech Republic, by paying their wages into a single bank account and controlling their lives through fear and violence. The victims, who were vulnerable and often homeless, earned the legal minimum wage, but most of their earnings were stolen by the traffickers. They lived in poor conditions and worked excessive hours, with some shifts lasting up to 30 hours. The exploitation was only uncovered in 2019 when victims contacted police in the Czech Republic, leading to a British investigation. Despite clear signs of exploitation, such as shared bank accounts and extreme working hours, both McDonald's and the supermarkets failed to detect the slavery. McDonald's has since stated it is improving its systems to identify potential risks, while the British Retail Consortium acknowledged the need for better due diligence in the retail sector. Former Prime Minister Theresa May criticized the failure of the Modern Slavery Act to protect victims in this case and called for stronger regulations. The government has pledged to address modern slavery and support victims.

- Nine victims of modern slavery were exploited at a McDonald's and a bakery supplying major supermarkets.

- The gang controlled victims through fear, violence, and financial exploitation.

- Clear signs of slavery were missed by both McDonald's and the supermarkets for years.

- McDonald's is taking steps to improve detection of modern slavery risks.

- Former Prime Minister Theresa May called for stronger regulations to protect victims.