Too much Monkey Business – Stores drop coconut milk brand following exposé

SuperValu is among 300,000 stores worldwide that have ditched the coconut milk brand Chaokoh from shelves after it was implicated in PETA Asia’s undercover investigations into the use of monkeys in Thailand’s coconut industry.

PETA’s investigations into the Thai coconut industry revealed that monkeys are forced to work on farms that export products around the world for the brand Chaokoh. The animals at these facilities displayed ‘stereotypical behaviour indicative of extreme stress.’

In the UK, Morrisons has suspended its supply of Chaokoh products pending investigation. Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Asda have removed Chaokoh products from their shelves. And Ocado and Co-op have committed to never knowingly selling any products sourced from monkey labour. Walgreens Boots Alliance (operator of Boots) has pledged not to stock Chaokoh items and not to knowingly sell any own-brand coconut food or drink products of Thai origin in its stores.

Following the investigation, more than 30,000 stores will no longer purchase coconut products sourced from monkey labour in Thailand.