SAN FRANCISCO — Costco will reportedly no longer sell coconut milk after suppliers were accused of forcing monkeys to pick the coconuts.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) proclaimed victory on its website after the retailer allegedly cut ties with Theppadungporn Coconut Co., the supplier in Thailand accused of using monkey labor to produce Chaokoh coconut milk.
However, the company denies any monkeys were used in the production of the milk, KABC reports.
PETA claims its investigators found "several monkey-training facilities and a coconut-picking competition" after visiting eight farms in Asia.
"Denied the freedom to move around, socialize with others, or do anything else that is important to them, these intelligent animals slowly lose their minds. Driven to desperation, they pace and circle endlessly on the barren, trash-strewn patches of dirt where they’re chained." said PETA in a statement on its website.
The organization says H-E-B and Sears have also stopped selling the Chaokoh brand of coconut milk after being alerted to the monkey labor being used.
