Denmark's Deportees Forced to Assemble Luxury Goods

In this investigative project, a team of freelance journalists from the Danish newspaper Dagbladet Information and the Italian magazine L’Espresso reveal the working conditions and pay of these detained individuals for the first time. Their reporting uncovers how multinational and Danish companies benefit from a labour system which, according to experts, constitutes forced labour.

Detainees at Ellebæk work for as little as €0.82 per hour, repackaging products such as San Pellegrino sparkling water bottles and iconic vacuum flasks from the Danish design company Stelton.

Ellebæk is a highly secretive facility that has been severely criticised by the Council of Europe’s Anti-Torture Committee. The Committee has described the detention conditions there as 'among the worst in Europe'.
Although the work is theoretically voluntary, detainees are poorly informed about their rights and often perceive the conditions as coercive. With no alternative activities available and in need of money to keep in touch with loved ones, lawyers and the outside world, many feel compelled to accept the work.

Following the revelations, both San Pellegrino and Stelton terminated their respective agreements with the Danish Probation Service, which operates the Ellebæk facility, via their official distributor and subcontractor.
The Danish Probation Service has told newspapers that these revelations will lead to changes in various areas of the centre's work regime.

The investigative team from Information and L’Espresso revealed details of the working practices at Ellebæk by submitting Freedom of Information requests, conducting official and unofficial visits to the facility, and interviewing current and former detainees.

Photo Credit: Ólafur Gestsson