THE congregation of St Andrews Church in Southgate has written to supermarket giant Asda to promote good treatment of the stores Third World workers.

Members of the church, in Chase Side, wrote as part of charity Christian Aids campaign to get supermarkets to give better working conditions to staff who supply goods from poor countries.

The letter states: All too often these working conditions are appalling be it poverty wages, inadequate safety or the use of child labour which robs children of their childhood and the chance of an education.

We, as a congregation, wish to express our concern about the suffering that brings.

Asda told the Independent that the company is constantly monitoring the working conditions of suppliers.

A spokeswoman said: Within the buying department the issues of working conditions are taken very seriously. Before we accept a supplier we carry out rigorous examinations of working conditions and we visit suppliers regularly.

The spokeswoman added that Asda is working with Christian Aid and other supermarkets to create an industry code of conduct on the issue.

Christian Aid is hoping to prove to the major supermarkets that consumers care about the conditions of Third World suppliers.

Volunteers from the charity are collecting shoppers receipts to eventually be sent to supermarkets to demonstrate the level of public support for the campaign. Christian Aid wants shoppers to send in supermarket receipts and call 0171 523 2248 for details of how to set up a local collection point in an office or a shop.

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