Are You Eating Food Made By Inmates? A recent investigation has uncovered that some of the most popular food brands in America are being manufactured by prison labor.

AP reported that beloved brands like Frosted Flakes and Coca-Cola were using prison labor in their production. These brands and more ended up on shelves at Kroger, Target, Aldi, and Whole Foods. Consumer packaged goods saw dips in sales due to inflation last year, but these companies are still highly profitable - more so when they don't have to pay workers. That's where prisons come in.

Prison Labor in Food Manufacturing

It's legal in some states to use prison labor if the work is considered a form of punishment for a crime. Prisoners in these labor cohorts are paid shockingly little to nothing for their efforts. Refusing work can risk someone's parole approval or even get an inmate a stint in solitary. Additionally, prisoners involved in these activities are disproportionately people of color.

Prison Labor vs. Job Training

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey (whose local prison does run labor programs) feels that incarcerated criminals shouldn't be paid. According to AP, he feels, "[Prisoners are] paying back their debt to society for violating the law." Prisons also make money by contracting inmates as labor, which can offset facility costs for taxpayers.

On the other hand, facilities like the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail work with The Phoenix Program to offer food-industry training to inmates so they can reenter society with fundamental skills. Prison vocational programs are a massive deterrent to recidivism and change ex-cons' lives for the better once released.

Fairtrade vs. Prison-Made: Choosing Ethical Grocery Options

Here are a few tips to consider before writing that next shopping list...

• Look for the Fairtrade Stamp: Fairtrade certification is a global industry practice built to help marginalized and at-risk food producers. The certification is awarded to products made with ethical labor and that support community reinvestment.
• Shop Local: Small manufacturers near you tend to recruit workers within their communities and are often family-run. "Urban farms," popping up in major cities sometimes even employ ex-convicts who need a second chance. 
• Plug into The ACLU: The ACLU has been a watchdog for human rights for decades. They publish articles that report on topics like prison labor and workers' rights violations globally.

There's no foolproof way to track every stop on your food's journey to the grocery store, but a little research can make a difference in your buying decisions.