A retired Church of England bishop has urged Christians to take practical action against modern slavery, warning that the demand for cheap goods can contribute to exploitation.
Bishop Alastair Redfern, associated with the Church of England’s Clewer Initiative, said consumers should question companies about their supply chains.
Speaking to Premier Christian News at the G20 Interfaith Forum in Salt Lake City, Utah, he said people of faith had a responsibility to look beyond their own needs and care for the vulnerable.
"Most of us contribute to modern slavery as consumers who want cheap goods and services," he said. "If you go to the store and buy a T-shirt for £1.50, okay, buy it. Great, you know you'll look good in it.
"But when you get home, just take a minute, email the company, and say, 'This is a great bargain, can you assure me there's no exploitation in your supply chain that produces this very low price?'
"Companies are frightened to death of that. It would only take a minute of your time, and yet we don't bother. We just put on the t-shirt and think, great, I've saved a lot of money. We've got to look out for other people and not ourselves."
According to the Global Slavery Index, almost £351bn worth of goods at risk of modern slavery were imported by G20 nations in 2021. Clothes accounted for around £111bn of the total.
Meanwhile, a total of 6,003 potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home Office from January to March 2026. The number is similar to the previous quarter (6,017), but a 13% increase compared to the period January to March 2025.
Bishop Alastair, who was the Bishop of Derby between 2005-2018, told Premier Christianity provides a clear reason to stand up for people affected by trafficking and exploitation.
“Every human being is precious. In our language, each person is a child of God. We’re all equal,” he said.
He called for stronger systems to prevent exploitation, saying that organised criminal networks often target vulnerable people through deceptive job offers and other forms of manipulation.
"We need a political solution, in that we've got to get the systems and structures that the law controls to be very careful to notice signs to prevent people acting like this," he said.
"We have zero-hour contracts now, that's great in a way for a flexible society, but it's very easy to take advantage of people and not pay them properly and make them very poor and dependent-a form of slave labour.
"So there are all kinds of areas that need looking at in this new world of extreme vulnerability, complexity, and hugely sophisticated criminality. Most of our laws don't presuppose all those things, and we've got to work hard at refining them, and then getting the resources of police and systems to challenge and stop this happening."
The bishop encouraged Christians to pay closer attention to people they encounter in everyday life. He said possible warning signs include someone appearing distressed, seeming to be under another person’s control, or not being allowed to speak for themselves.
“If you see people who are struggling, just reach out. A little conversation. 'Can I help you? Are you all right?'” he said.
Modern slavery was among the issues discussed at this year’s G20 Interfaith Forum, which brought together faith leaders, politicians and scholars to explore how religious communities can contribute to tackling global challenges.
This year's theme was "Resilient Hope, Shared Future."
