Research released by Tearfund New Zealand shows Otago is among the regions around New Zealand most willing to forego chocolate found to be unethically sourced.
Asked how they would respond if their favourite chocolate was found to have ties to child labour, 58% of respondents from Otago said they would avoid buying it and seek more ethical alternatives.
This was echoed by 63% of those polled from the Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough region, and 59% from Taranaki.
Only 6% from Otago said it would not affect their purchasing choices, while 13% said they would feel upset but likely continue buying it.
Ocho co-director Isabelle Prosser said they were "super proud" to be an Otago brand.
Consumers should be making ethical decisions across the board, not just with chocolate.
"It’s about supporting local to start with, but it’s about being ethical because at the end of the day, that’s what’s going to be really sustainable."
The Dunedin-based craft chocolate company sourced cocoa beans only from growers in the Pacific through trusted suppliers and co-operatives, and had stances on anti-slavery and paying fair prices.
She believed Ocho had become the preferred chocolate of choice for people living in Otago, once the city’s Cadbury factory closed down.
"I think that’s probably where you’ll find a higher percentage in Otago, trusting a brand like Ocho, knowing that we really get behind the trusted suppliers and co-operatives who share our commitment to human rights and fair pay and ethical treatment."
Tearfund has also partnered with Be Slavery Free for its sixth annual "Chocolate Scorecard".
It ranked a total of 39 of the world’s chocolate companies based on their traceability and transparency across supply chains, whether they paid farmers a living income, efforts to prevent the use of child labour, action on climate and deforestation, how they supported agroforestry and their elimination of the use of harmful pesticides.
Of the popular brands found in New Zealand, Dutch chocolateer Tony’s Chocolonely topped the global rankings to receive the "Good Egg" award, ahead of Nestle in 5th and Whittaker’s in 6th place.
Other companies Mars, Hershey, Lindt and Ferrero were ranked 8, 12, 13 and 14 respectively.
Mondelēz, the makers of Cadbury and Toblerone, received the "Bad Egg" award, for what Tearfund said was a "lack of transparency for refusing to share any details".
When they were last assessed, Mondelēz ranked 25 out of 38 global companies.
A Whittaker’s spokesperson said they were pleased to maintain their spot in the top 10, given the challenges they had faced over the past year with the global cocoa shortage.
A Mondelēz New Zealand spokesman said they were a company committed to making a positive difference at scale.
"Unfortunately, scorecards that judge based on specific criteria often overlook the broader impact of our efforts."
