Hippyshopper: Primark axes three child labour suppliers

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Primark axes three child labour suppliers

It's good to hear that the UK's 'least ethical clothes store', Primark, has cut ties with three of its most long-standing suppliers, after learning that they were exploiting children in India. It emerged that all three were sub-contracting embroidery work on dresses to under-age workers.

The chain's chief executive George Weston said "We don't want kids working on our clothes. We bring a lot of good to the people who work in our factories in proper working conditions. We want people paid properly." He added that Primark had sacked another supplier earlier this year, in Bangladesh, for breaking its code of conduct rules on workers' rights.

But don't rush over to your nearest branch for those elusive £3 jeans just yet. I can't help finding it hard to put trust in a store that has had to sack at least four inethical suppliers in less than six months. Yes, they are dealing with cases as they come up, but how many more wage slaves are going to come out of the woodwork before the majority of fashion-hungry shoppers start ditching Primark for stores without so much to hide? [Via The Guardian]

Posted by AbiSilvester on June 16, 2008

Comments

I can understand that Primark choosing to sack its suppliers might look like the right response - but why? Does it stop the fact that these workers have been producing for Primark under terrible conditions? No. What it does is ensure that workers who are brave enough to speak out will lose their jobs, that the families of the children involved will face even greater poverty and that Primark can wash its hands clean.

Any one involved in fashion should know that this isn't a one off story. We hear of cases like this every month, if not more. Primark should be working with all its suppliers to improve conditions and should make sure that its way of doing business doesn't mean workers are paying the price for our cheap fashion

Posted by: Sam Maher | June 16, 2008 6:56 PM

For Primark to walk away and not work with their suppliers just compounds the workers problems. The workers have lost their means of earning and Primark think they look like the good guys for walking away.

It’s all wrong they should have stayed and monitored and also a big part of the responsibility should fall on the customer – they should ask themselves how come something is so cheap – at whose cost?

Boycotting and walking away is not the answer – working together and valuing people’s time and energy is what’s needed.

Posted by: Vicki Day | June 24, 2008 4:07 PM

Boycotting and walking away is not the answer – working together and valuing people’s time and energy is what’s needed.

Posted by: Vicki Day | June 24, 2008 4:08 PM

Boycotting and walking away is not the answer – working together and valuing people’s time and energy is what’s needed.

Posted by: Vicki Day | June 24, 2008 4:13 PM