Forced labor persists in the U.S. food supply chain

Forced labor, often tied to the H-2A agricultural guest worker visa program, pervades the U.S. grocery food chain, according to the Department of Labor and recent studies.

Why it matters: Retail has faced a reckoning around forced labor this year. Shein this week hired an ex-EU official to help it overcome potential regulatory scrutiny for its planned London IPO. And in the food industry, forced labor concerns have factored into reviews of Kroger's acquisition of Albertsons.