# Modern slavery victims ‘exploited in plain sight’ in supermarkets and shops

By Ruth Wilkinson — 2026-09-15

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) recently published a white paper, Hidden in plain sight, in which it warned that modern slavery remains embedded in workplaces and supply chains.

Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at IOSH, said: “From our research, it is clear that too many organisations still lack the basic systems needed to identify and prevent exploitation. When businesses are not assessing modern slavery risks, training staff, providing safe worker voice opportunities or measuring whether their interventions are working, it becomes far harder to spot the warning signs and take action before harm occurs.

“Particularly concerning is that many organisations remain confident in their ability to manage modern slavery risks despite significant gaps in their processes and controls. If organisations aren’t actively assessing modern slavery risks, they shouldn’t assume they’ll identify them.

“Modern slavery thrives where oversight is weak and workers do not have a voice. Preventing exploitation requires more than policies and statements – it requires organisations to build modern slavery due diligence and risk management into organisational governance processes and the way work is designed, managed and governed.

“Businesses have a crucial role to play. By taking a prevention-first approach, strengthening due diligence and actively engaging workers, they can help ensure that work is safe, healthy and free from exploitation.”

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