The global food system, which employs nearly 1.4 billion people, is the largest source of employment worldwide. However, it is also a sector notorious for exploiting its workers. According to a new report by IPES-Food, titled "Food Work," about two out of every five workers are employed in the food sector, yet this sector exploits more workers than any other. The report was launched on October 5, 2026, and highlights the extent and forces driving the exploitation of workers in food systems across the globe.
The report identifies six forces exacerbating food worker exploitation globally. One of the primary drivers is gender, class, and race-based discrimination. The "invisibilisation" of food-related care work, mostly performed by women, is a significant issue. Women perform an estimated 12.5 billion hours of unpaid care work every day, which forces them into informal or part-time work, leading to lower earnings, weak protections, and limited bargaining power. According to IPES-Food expert Raj Patel, this unpaid care work is often not recognised, and women are underpaid and undervalued.
Migration systems also play a significant role in institutionalising the exploitation of migrant workers. A substantial part of the food system relies on the exploitation of migrant workers, who are often exploited and docile due to fear of deportation. Co-chair of IPES-Food, Olivier De Schutter, notes that even where immigration is legal, immigration policies often oblige migrant workers to accept employer-tied visas, leading to substandard wages, poor housing conditions, and dangerous working conditions. Migrant workers are hesitant to complain due to the risk of dismissal by their employer.
Dominant corporations use their market power to drive down wages, engage in anti-competitive wage-fixing, outsource core jobs to third-party brokers, and aggressively counter union organising. According to the report, 30% of food system workers, or about 416 million people, earn less than a living wage. The report highlights an example of worker suppression in South Africa, where nearly 600 Makro workers were fired for striking during contract negotiations with Massmart. The company sued the union for damages instead of facing fines for union busting.
The report also notes that digital technologies, such as automation and gig-based platform work, are being implemented to cut labour costs and maximise control of workers. Workers are being made to fit the machine, with efficiency being the greatest goal, not worker liberation. For example, at Walmart, nearly three-quarters of workers reported pressure to work faster under increased surveillance, and almost all workers reported dehydration. In app-based food delivery services, about 1,000 accidents occur every day among delivery drivers, with the majority denied basic workplace injury compensation.
Agricultural workers are on the frontlines of climate breakdown, according to the report. These workers are forced to work fewer hours due to heat stress, and workers paid by the hour will in turn be paid less. Climate change brings increased risk to workers who handle pesticides, as heat drives chemicals from the pesticides through the air, where they can be absorbed into workers' skin more easily. The report also highlights that legal loopholes and weak enforcement are failing workers' rights, with many countries maintaining legal exemptions that exclude food and farm workers from basic protections.
The report concludes that the exploitation of workers in the global food system is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive approach. Advocate Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna notes that decent work is not only about wages and working hours but also about basic dignity, including access to sanitation, clean drinking water, and a place to rest. The report's findings highlight the need for governments, corporations, and consumers to take action to address the exploitation of workers in the food system and ensure that workers receive fair wages, safe working conditions, and basic protections.
Key points
- The global food system employs nearly 1.4 billion people, yet exploits more workers than any other sector.
- Six forces drive the exploitation of workers in the food system, including gender, class, and race-based discrimination, migration systems, and dominant corporations.
- The report calls for governments, corporations, and consumers to take action to address the exploitation of workers in the food system.
