Ce-UnPac’d : Sainsbury’s – A Supermarket Shitshow

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Sainsbury’s, the supermarket giant that’s been feeding Britain since 1869, has a knack for stepping in shit and pretending it smells like roses. Behind the freshly-mopped aisles and that friendly orange branding lies a history of scandals so filthy, you’d think they were ripped from a crime novel. But this ain’t fiction – it’s the raw, unfiltered truth about a company that’s fucked over workers, consumers, and animals alike. Buckle up, because this is gonna be a rough ride.

Tea and Tears in Kenya

Picture this: lush tea fields in Kenya, the kind of place you’d imagine is all sunshine and honest labour. Wrong. In 2023, a BBC investigation tore the lid off a nightmare at a farm supplying Sainsbury’s Red Label tea. Over 70 women – SEVENTY! -reported being coerced into sex by managers just to keep a job. One undercover reporter got propositioned by a sleazy bastard named John Chebochok in a hotel room. Grim doesn’t even cover it. Sainsbury’s response? A limp-wristed promise of “robust action” to protect workers. Too late, arseholes. The damage was done, and those women’s lives were already shattered. This wasn’t some distant supplier fuck-up; this was Sainsbury’s supply chain, their mess. And they blew it.

Milking the Public Dry

Back in 2007, Sainsbury’s admitted to rigging the prices of milk, cheese, and butter. Teamed up with other supermarkets, they screwed consumers out of an estimated £270 million. While families were scraping by, Sainsbury’s was making damn sure every pint of milk and block of cheddar cost more than it should. The Office of Fair Trading hit them with a £26 million fine – chump change for a company swimming in billions. Did they learn? Fuck no. It’s just another day in the life of a corporate bully, laughing all the way to the bank.

Equal Pay? Equal Bullshit

Since 2015, thousands of Sainsbury’s store workers – mostly women – have been fighting for fair pay. They claim they’re getting less than the warehouse lads, mostly men, for work of equal value. The courts have already told Sainsbury’s to stop pissing about with weak excuses, and with other retailers coughing up millions in similar cases, Sainsbury’s might be next. But in 2025, they’re still dragging their feet. Women stacking shelves and scanning groceries are getting the short end of the stick, and Sainsbury’s doesn’t give a toss. It’s not just unfair – it’s a bloody disgrace.

The Dirty Laundry List

Oh, it doesn’t stop there. Animal welfare? A sick joke. In 2021, dead and wounded turkeys were found in their supply chain. By 2023, ducks were being swung by their necks. In 2024, chickens with ammonia burns and pigs beaten before slaughter. It’s a fucking horror show, and Sainsbury’s is holding the whip. Then there’s the migrant worker abuses in 2023 – racism, wage theft, threats of unfair dismissal – all tied to their suppliers. And before 2005, they got caught in a VAT avoidance scheme, dodging tax on card fees until HMRC shut it down. Even their PR’s a mess – remember the 2020 Christmas advert with a black family that sparked a racist backlash? They stood against the hate, sure, but it’s hard to play saint when your hands are this dirty.

The Big Picture

Sainsbury’s isn’t alone in its fuckery – supermarkets are a cesspit of greed—but they’ve damn well mastered the art of screwing over workers, consumers, and animals alike. Next time you’re pushing a trolley down their aisles, just know: behind those shiny shelves is a company with blood dripping from its paws.

Lee Thompson – Founder, The Cummins Accountability Project

Sources

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