Articles | Shops criticised for workers pay

Shops criticised for workers pay

Published: Friday, 5 December 2008, 9:21AM

Foreign workers making clothes for high street fashion chain Primark are existing on as little as 7p an hour, a charity has alleged.

The anti-poverty charity War on Want said Primark was ignoring the rise in basic living costs in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.

War on Want campaigns and policy director Ruth Tanner said: "Primark, Asda and Tesco promise a living wage for their garment makers. But workers are actually worse off than when we exposed their exploitation two years ago.

"The UK Government must bring in effective regulation to stop British companies profiting from abuse."

The charity wants the British Government to allow staff claiming exploitation to pursue claims through UK courts.

All three retailers denied the allegations, saying they were committed to the ethical treatment of suppliers.

Primark said: "The garment industry is raising the living standards of workers in the supply chain by providing employment which would otherwise simply not be available.

"Far from seeking to exploit these people, the British garment industry is trying its hardest to improve living standards in these countries."

Asda said it was working directly with factory owners to improve conditions and efficiency in production techniques to reduce working hours.

And Tesco said: "The allegations are unsubstantiated and as War on Want have again decided not to engage with us on them we question whether their approach is the best way to tackle the complex issues surrounding the Bangladeshi garment industry.

"We insist on high working condition standards, going to great lengths to ensure our suppliers meet them."