UK High Street fashion is scrutinised

The annual Let’s Clean Up Fashion report, released this week, reveals that of the 25 brands investigated, none were said to be paying a living wage to their workers. Jen Marsden writes.

A damning report released by Labour Behind the Label and the anti-poverty charity, War on Want, in the run up to World Decent Work Day applauds the progress of top high street brands such as Gap, Next, New Look and Monsoon Accessorize in creating fairer wages that workers can afford to live on, but reveals the flaws still prevalent among high street retailers.

Asda and Matalan will be expected to keep a low profile after being named as two of the UK’s worst retailers for not presenting a ‘coherent strategy’ when it comes to ensuring a living wage for garment workers in Asia.

Even amidst the positive steps the high street is taking to improve supply chains, the report shows that exploitation continues. Rapped knuckles were also given to the Arcadia Group (who own Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge, Topman, Topshop and Wallis), Bhs, Clarks, Debenhams, French Connection, John Lewis, River Island, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

War on Want’s research found that some workers making clothes for Tesco, Asda and Primark in Bangladesh still work up to 80 hour weeks for as little as 7 pence an hour.

The charity is now calling on Gordon Brown to regulate the fashion industry and ensure fairer treatment.

Jo Wood, pop singer Little Boots, actors Gael Garcia Bernal and Ashley Jensen, designer Betty Jackson and comedians Jo Brand and Francesca Martinez are among the first to sign the Love Fashion Hate Sweatshops petition.

Let’s Clean up Fashion Report

War On Want

Labour Behind the Label