We have welcomed an announcement by The Silver Spoon Company that it will contact the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate (MSS) to discuss the island’s monkey trade. The Silver Spoon Company, a division of the Associated British Foods group, has agreed to make the MSS aware of the concerns of its consumers.

Mauritius is one of the world’s largest suppliers of monkeys for experiments, including to the UK. The MSS acts on behalf of sugar mills on the island and has close links with the Government.

Our new campaign urges The Silver Spoon Company and other UK sugar companies to use their influential position in the global sugar market to help protect the monkeys of Mauritius. The campaign has already received public support from TV and film star Joanna Lumley and TV presenter and wildlife expert Chris Packham.

This week, The Silver Spoon Company told Cruelty Free International: "As a business, The Silver Spoon Company operates strict policies and procedures to ensure our business, and our suppliers, treat people and the environment with respect. Any cruel practice with regards to animal welfare would not align with our business values, or the expectations of the vast majority of our customers in the UK. We have a long association with Mauritius and support a successful Fair Trade initiative in the country. Sugar production on Mauritius is amongst the country’s largest industries; supporting 17,000 subsistence level farmers none of whom to our knowledge are involved in the trade in macaque monkeys.

In response to this latest campaign by Cruelty Free International we will contact The Mauritius Sugar Syndicate, which acts on behalf of all the sugar mills in the country and has close links to the Government of Mauritius, to reiterate our position and make them aware of the concerns of our consumers in relation to animal welfare.”

Cruelty Free International Chief Executive, Michelle Thew said: “We are delighted that The Silver Spoon Company has recognised and responded to consumer concerns about the role of Mauritius in the cruel international trade in monkeys for experiments. We appeal to all sugar companies to join us and call on the Mauritius Government to end the island’s export of monkeys for use in laboratories. Together, we can make life on Mauritius sweet for the monkeys too.”

We are now asking our supporters to continue to urge other sugar companies and the European Association of Sugar Traders (ASSUC) to help end the suffering inflicted on the monkeys of Mauritius. Supporters can email ASSUC directly from the Cruelty Free International campaign page.