Primark sacks three suppliers for using child labour

by Jacquie Bowser, Brand Republic 17-Jun-08, 09:10

LONDON - Primark has axed three of its clothing suppliers in southern India for using child labour, after the BBC's 'Panorama' programme uncovered the scandal.

The cut-price fashion chain said it was informed that the suppliers had subcontracted embroidery and sequin work on a small number of designs to unapproved subcontractors, which in some cases used children.

Primark has now cancelled all new orders with the factories and has stopped the sale of the embroidered garments already made.

The affected garments reportedly represent 0.04% of Primark's worldwide sourcing.

It was the BBC's 'Panorama' programme that uncovered the use of child labour, which led Primark to investigate. Panorama's findings are due to be broadcast next Monday.

Primark said it has a strict Supplier Code of Conduct, which expressly bans the use of child labour and does not permit suppliers to subcontract without specific consent and agreement.

A spokesperson for Primark said: "None of these suppliers is permitted to use home working.

"Under no circumstances would Primark ever knowingly permit such activities whether directly through its suppliers or through third party subcontractors.

"Primark does not tolerate serious breaches of its fundamental principles."

Primark said it has a system of audits that have so far proven "very robust" and "extremely effective" at raising supplier standards. Primark uses third party auditors, including SGS.

In addition to sacking the factories at fault, Primark has met with existing suppliers to reinforce its stringent trading standards and is set to appoint a non-government organisation in southern India as a partner to identify any unauthorised subcontracting.

Primark attributed its low prices to not overcharging customers.

In a statement, Primark said: "We are able to offer good value and good quality because of low markups and big volumes.

"We use simple designs, our overhead costs are extremely low and we don't run expensive advertising campaigns."

Primark is now the second biggest clothing retailer in the UK, in terms of volume, with nearly 170 stores.

Channel 4 pulled a potentially controversial documentary from its schedule at the start of this month, which involved examing the business practices of high street stores including Primark.

The show, called 'The Devil Wears Primark', looked at the working conditions in the foreign factories that supply cheap clothing.

It was reportedly pulled for editorial reasons but Channel 4 said they would air it at a later date.

Comments

Lisa Cunningham - 17/06/2008

Well, if you can buy, 3 dresses, 8 tops, 2 bikini's and 3 pairs of shoes for the combined price of £32.50, someone somewhere is getting a tough deal! Unfortunately shoppers( including myself) love pretty things, particularly when they're a bargain! Self restraint, will power, and ethical thinking go out the window. Maybe I'll eat a fair trade chocolate bar later, and try to convince myself I'm not really a bad person!

Awalla Fa'Shagba - 17/06/2008

Pretty things..... Primark? Can I recommend Optrex. *winks

Lisa Cunningham - 17/06/2008

Perhaps only those with a sense of style and fashion discernment, can spot those choice items amongst the clutter?

Devin Parmar - 17/06/2008

The worrying thing is retailers are being hit harder then ever at the moment which can lead to driving down production costs like Primark's unethical behaviour. How many other high street retailers are doing this?

kirsty stevenson - 17/06/2008

Now I'm no politician and I don't know an enormous amount about factories in developing nations so I could be wrong and I'd welcome enlightenment, but I don't get this: Primark sacks the factories on ethical grounds, leaving hundreds of families without income, then funds organisations to help young people in developing nations (I got that last bit from retail weekly yesterday). Wouldn't the ethical thing be to work with the factories and their workers to find out why it's happening and then find a way through it, rather than going for what could be percieved to be a knee jerk crisis PR reaction and sacking the factories then funding organisations that might not even help those employees who have quite possibly all been sacked too?

Lisa Cunningham - 17/06/2008

Take part in the poll & read some other comments... http://community.brandrepublic.com/forums/p/5935/21802.aspx

Gordon Macmillan - 17/06/2008

Oh look pretty things! This is too little late.

Awalla Fa'Shagba - 17/06/2008

*too .... Lisa i must agree my young lady loves Primark - and for a tenner she comes home with loads of stuff so what do i know. (it normally goes in teh bin after 1 wash though)

Gordon Macmillan - 17/06/2008

Vote in the poll on the forums:

http://community.brandrepublic.com/forums/p/5935/21847.aspx#21847

Lisa Cunningham - 17/06/2008

[quote user="Awalla Fa'Shagba"]

*too .... Lisa i must agree my young lady loves Primark - and for a tenner she comes home with loads of stuff so what do i know. (it normally goes in teh bin after 1 wash though)

[/quote]

Analogies of a throw away society spring to mind!

Now where is it that we ship all our recycling to, so they can put it in landfill?