A petition with 20,000 signatures urging Lidl to do more to protect the workers behind its food was presented to the company’s head office in Wimbledon this by Oxfam campaigners dressed as giant fruit and vegetables.

The petition is part of Oxfam’s Behind the Barcodes campaign which aims to improve the lives of the millions of people around the world producing food for supermarkets.

In the UK, the campaign is aimed at the six major UK supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl.

Lidl is currently bottom of Oxfam’s scorecard which assesses the supermarkets policies and practices on human rights in their supply chains.

Wimbledon Times:

Rachel Wilshaw, Oxfam ethical trade manager, said: “When it comes to protecting the farmers and workers who supply the food we eat, Lidl is firmly at the bottom of our Behind the Barcodes scorecard.

“Oxfam and our supporters have been targeting Lidl since last October to push the company to take action, with over 20,000 people signing our petition.

“We acknowledge the concerted efforts that Lidl has made since then. But, until we see company-wide public commitments, we will continue campaigning so that we can say, with confidence, that Lidl is taking the issue of worker exploitation seriously.”

Wimbledon Times:

Phil Glee, who volunteers in the Oxfam Wimbledon Broadway shop and took part in the hand-in added: "We need to put pressure on companies like Lidl to do more to help the people produce the food we eat.

"It's an issue that's worldwide. If we don't do things like this then companies like Lidl will just carry on like they are."