UK workers paid £3 an hour to make clothes for high street brands
High street stores in the UK, including New Look and River Island, are selling clothing produced in factories by British workers paid just £3 ($4) an hour, according to a documentary made by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme. The UK’s national living wage is currently £7.20 per hour. Online retailers Boohoo and Missguided are also alleged to have used suppliers that violated employment law. The documentary, which contains footage of bosses smoking in proximity to flammable materials and piles of rubbish blocking fire exits, also raises health and safety concerns about conditions in the factories. 

Sweatshop shame as 'staff on £3 an hour in UK factories supply high st stores'

Sweatshop shame as 'staff on £3 an hour in UK factories supply high st stores'

A documentary has used undercover reporters to expose factory conditions and River Island and New Look are reported to have used suppliers that paid less than half the minimum wage

High street stores are allegedly selling clothes made in sweatshops by workers who are paid £3 an hour.

An investigation into British factories connected to some of the UK’s most popular fashion chains has uncovered shocking employment practices.

River Island and New Look are reported to have used suppliers that paid less than half the minimum wage, while online retailers Boohoo and Missguided hired suppliers that reportedly routinely broke employment law.

Channel 4’s Dispatches programme used undercover reporters to expose factory conditions.

One boss at Fashion Square Ltd, a textiles firm in Leicester that supplies River Island, blamed competition from China and Bangladesh on him not paying staff the national living wage of £7.20 an hour.

For a 36-hour week, the reporter was paid £110, which works out at £3 an hour.

Image: Channel 4) Channel 4)

Investigators worked at another factory producing jumpers for New Look. Despite there being a poster on the wall of the factory floor highlighting the national living wage, the reporter got £3.50 an hour.

The factory had been subcontracting work from another New Look supplier, TS Knitwear, without the chain’s permission.

Bosses also allegedly failed to verify whether staff were legally allowed to work in the UK.

On its website, New Look says it protects workers in its supply chain and promotes its ethical work in Bangladesh.

But the Dispatches probe allegedly revealed inconsistencies between the firm’s ethos and its suppliers’ practices. New Look said it stopped using TS Knitwear last year.

Another undercover reporter worked at United Creations Ltd, packing items for Boohoo and Missguided. The reporter was paid £3.25 per hour.

Image: Channel 4) Channel 4)

Bosses were filmed smoking on the factory floor despite being surrounded by flammable materials. Plus, rubbish was piled high on the floor and fire exits were blocked.

Health and safety expert Prof Richard Booth watched the footage and said there were major concerns about the risk of fire.

He said: “Fires happen very, very rapidly. There’s a smoke build up, there’s a low ceiling, the people are partly panicking and the doors open the wrong way.”

The documentary, Undercover: Britain’s Cheap Clothes, will air on Channel 4 tonight at 8pm. Karen Edwards, executive producer at Blakeway productions, which shot the footage, said: “We were shocked to find workers being offered rates so far below the national living wage.

“We were also shocked by how concerned our health and safety experts were by the fire risk.”

Fashion Square Ltd told investigators no one at the factory was paid below the minimum wage. River Island is signed up to the Ethical Trading Initiative and has said that all workers in its supply chain should be paid a living wage.

Image: Channel 4) Channel 4)

In a statement, it said Fashion Square Ltd was removed from its approved factory list in February 2016 after failing two audits. The firm added: “Subcontracting without River Island’s approval is a serious breach of our terms and conditions.”

A River Island spokesperson said: “This factory was removed from our Approved Factory List in February 2016, following two failed River Island audits. Suppliers were informed not to use this factory for any further River Island orders. We are investigating this issue and will take appropriate action. Sub-contracting without River Island’s approval is a serious breach of our Terms and Conditions.”

New Look said: “We have terminated our relationship with TS Knitwear.”

United Creations Ltd denied anyone was paid below minimum wage.

Boohoo told the documentary makers the company “visited United Creations as soon as Dispatches alerted us to assist them in [raising] the standard of their safety procedures and ensuring that they pay at least the minimum wage.”

In a statement, Missguided said: “We have begun an internal investigation. We will also ensure these matters are addressed urgently by the supplier in the best interests of the workers.”