Say yes to chocolate, no to forced labor.

San Francisco, CA (April 21, 2011): This Easter, demand for retail items like Easter candy is expected to return to pre-recession levels. The Nielsen Company, a consumer research group, estimates that in the United States alone nearly 120 million pounds, or $500 million worth of candy, will be purchased in the week leading up to Easter. M&M Pastels, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, Jelly Bellies, and Hershey’s Chocolate Bunnies top the charts of most popular candy sales. 70% of U.S. candy dollars will be spent on roughly 71 million pounds of chocolate, surpassing the amount of chocolate sold during Valentine’s week.  Increased consumer demand for these products means greater pressure on those producing them.

Although labor rights abuses are ubiquitous in the chocolate industry year round, it is during times of concentrated consumer demand that producing countries feel the most pressure to meet strict quotas. A quick look at the Free2Work.org website can guide consumers on smart purchasing decisions this Easter season.  “The Free2Work tool looks at the factors that go into making any product and empowers consumers to enhance the lives of those who make that product,” says David Batstone, President of the Not For Sale Campaign.

The Free2Work app gives consumers instant access to this information while they shop. Recently featured on CNN, reporter Kristie Lu Stout explained the app as “a handy guide to help consumers make ethical choices and show how companies around the world rate according to their labor practices.” Free2Work has graded several chocolate companies including Godiva, Hershey, Sees,Equal Exchange, and Divine Chocolate based on each company’s policies on forced and child labor. Given the spirit of sacrifice and compassion surrounding the Easter holiday season, consumers are encouraged to use the Free2Work tool to ensure the Easter candy they purchase is not bought at an intolerable cost to those who produce it.

About Free2Work

Free2Work rates companies based on their code of conduct, implementation of that code, transparency, response to child labor, and efforts to empower workers.  Additional questions are used to specifically evaluate what steps these companies are taking within their own industry to address forced and child labor. The mobile application, Free2Work, which is supported by Juniper Networks (www.JuniperNetworks.com) and named one of the “11 Great Apps for 2011” by the SF AppShow, is also available for consumers as a free download on iTunes.

The Free2work.org rating program is an ongoing endeavor supported by Juniper Networks and the US Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.  Additional products will continue to be rated throughout the year and consumers are encouraged to indicate what products they would like to see rated in the future.

About Not For Sale

The Not For Sale Campaign equips and mobilizes Smart Activists to deploy innovative solutions to re-abolish slavery in their own backyards and across the globe. Together, we can end slavery in our lifetime.www.notforsalecampaign.org

About International Labor Rights Forum

International Labor Rights Forum is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide.www.laborrights.org