A DARWEN church has challenged the town's biggest supermarket to ensure that its shelves are not stocked with goods produced by Third World 'slave workers'.

Members of St Edward's Church have asked Kwik Save in Church Street to check that workers in the Far East who produce many products sold in supermarkets are fairly paid and properly treated.

The church says that thousands of pounds are spent in the supermarket and presented a bundle of receipts from the store to the management to back up the claim.

The supermarket challenge is aimed at raising the level of awareness among local shoppers about workers in developing countries, some of whom operate in appalling conditions for long hours and little money.

The challenge is part of Christian Aid's ongoing campaign Change the Rules which calls on supermarkets to adopt a code of conduct to protect vulnerable workers in the Third World.

The charity believes implementation of the code should be independently monitored.

One of the local campaigners, Sheila Williams, a member of St Edward's Church, said: "This isn't a threat to the supermarkets.

"But as their customers we want to say to them: 'we're spending a lot of money in your shop, and we want to know we can be absolutely confident that the people who produce the things you sell us are guaranteed basic, minimum conditions and fair pay.'"

Margaret Leatham, of Sandy Lane, Lower Darwen, was also involved in the campaign.

She said: "We are hoping to raise awareness about how much we pay for products in this country, compared to how much workers who produce the products in the Third World get paid. Kwik Save were very much aware of the situation and accepted our presentation of receipts."

Martin Drewry, head of Campaigns at Christian Aid, said: "The magnificent response of all those who collected together their till receipts shows beyond any shadow of a doubt that shoppers do care, and want to know that the goods they buy are not produced by workers who are exploited."

Kwik Save refused to comment.

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