Finding out that monkeys are chained while being forced to climb coconut trees to pick the fruits may have been enough for Target to pull out a Thai brand of coconut milk that was allegedly made using "forced monkey labour."

Target is pulling coconut milk made by the Thai company Chaokoh, after an investigation discovered that the manufacturer of the said product has been tied to the use of monkey forced labour. The move by the American retail corporation was announced Monday by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which is the largest animal rights organisation in the world, boasting more than three million members.

Tracy Reiman, the Executive Vice President of PETA, said that by dropping Chaokoh, Target is joining thousands of stores that have ceased to make a profit out of "chained monkeys'misery," NBC News reported. She also said that the exposés made by the organisation have confirmed that many producers of coconut milk in Thailand exploit monkeys. Worse, they are allegedly lying about it.

Since 2019, the organisation has already been investigating reported exploitations. It conducted two undercover investigations and it found that the primates wear chains and would pick coconuts all day.

New York Post reported that according to the group's findings, there was "cruelty to monkeys on every farm, at every monkey-training facility, and in every coconut-picking contest that used monkey labour." When the monkeys are not used to pick coconuts, they are chained to tires or caged.

When the first PETA investigation was publicised, those in the coconut industry signified that they were not using "forced monkey labor" anymore. However, a succeeding investigation revealed otherwise, as they found that the same practice was still happening.

Monkey Forced Labor Monkey Forced Labor
Target pulls out Chaokoh coconut milk products due to forced monkey labor allegations. Photo: Pixabay

"We believe in the humane treatment of animals and expect those who do business with us to do the same," a spokesperson of Target said. It was also revealed that the decision to pull the coconut products from their shelves was made last November and it was only publicly announced by PETA recently.