Oversight & ethics enforcementHuman traffickingChild protection

U.S. Labor Department lists Côte d'Ivoire cocoa for child labor and forced labor, and extends the finding to cocoa paste, butter and powder used in candy and cosmetics

Confidence: Confirmed · 3 sourcesCôte d'Ivoire · Oct 12, 2026

Subject of this story

Conseil du Café-Cacao

Also named

Oversight

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB)

What happened

The U.S. Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, revised September 5, 2024, lists Côte d'Ivoire cocoa for both child labor and forced labor. ILAB cites a Tulane University estimate that over 4,000 children work in conditions of forced labor in Ivorian cocoa production and about 41 percent of cocoa-growing households have child labor (around 790,000 children). In 2024 ILAB added cocoa paste, butter and powder to the list, citing supply-chain research showing a direct connection between cocoa harvested with child labor in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana and these products found in candy, soda, ice cream, skincare and cosmetics. More than 1.5 million children work on cocoa farms in the two countries, and the U.S. is the second-largest importer of Ivorian cocoa.

Sources (3)

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (dol.gov)New supply chain research shows a direct connection between cocoa harvested using child labor in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana and the worldwide supply of cocoa paste, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder... found in everyday consumer goods including candy, soda, ice cream, skincare, and cosmetics.

U.S. Department of Labor, List of Goods (official list, print view)Côte d'Ivoire – Cocoa: Listed for Child Labor, Forced Labor. Over 4,000 children work in conditions of forced labor in cocoa production; cocoa butter, paste, and powder listed as inputs produced with child labor.

Thompson Hine SmarTradePublished September 5, 2024, the update identified food and beverage products linked to child labor in cocoa industries operating in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, part of a record 72 new additions to the list.

Response

Conseil du Café-Cacao

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