UK tobacco firms fail in bid to have Malawi child labour case struck out

BAT and Imperial Tobacco deny they are responsible for farming families' exploitation

Two big UK tobacco companies have failed to persuade the high court to strike out a case against them that alleges they are responsible for the exploitation of Malawian farming families and child labour in their drive for profits.

British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco deny the allegations. They argued that the Malawian families could not prove that the tobacco they grew had ended up in their cigarettes.