Alert not to be part of exploitation Primark & Benetton Chain Stores
Fatema Miah:
Primark
Today the 24th of June 2014, a group of Human Right Activist went out and held a protest outside Primark Store. Primark is a Britain’s renowned worldwide Chain of stores High street Retailer sells exotic products for a cheaper price comparative to other High Street Retailers. The secret behind the cheapness of price is obviously exploitation that the most shoppers probably weren’t aware of.
Kunal Dutta reported in THE INDRPENEDNT newspaper today, the 24th of June 2014 ‘that Primark is poised to investigate after a shopper claimed that she found a label stitched inside a dress drawing attention to exploitative work conditions.” According to the Kunal Dutta’s report today the 24th of June 2014 in THE INDRPENEDNT, a shopper named ‘Rebecca Gallagher, 25, claims that a £10 dress that she purchased from a Primark store in Swansea contained a label reading “forced to work exhausting hours”. The mother said that the message was written on one of a number of stitched labels which gave Primark addresses in Spain and Ireland along with washing instructions. “You hear all sorts of stories about people working in sweatshops abroad – it made me so guilty that I can never wear that dress again,” she told The South Wales Evening Post. Ms Gallagher claims that she attempted to call the retailing giant and was “put on hold for 15 minutes before being cut off”. She added: “I dread to think that my summer top may be made by some exhausted person toiling away for hours in some sweatshop abroad.”’ She is feeling guilty of wearing a dress she bought as a bargain for £10. I do not shop in Primark stores neither I purchase Cherokee clothes from Tesco. Primark’s exotic beautiful clothes are incredibly cheap because they’re production of torturing and slavery of destitute people, especially women with children. It is a hard truth that these kinds of modern day slavery do still exist.
Furthermore, according to the Kuna Dutta’s today’s report on 24th of June 2014 in THE INDRPENEDNT, ‘a spokesman for Primark said: “We would be grateful if the customer would give us the dress, so we can investigate how the additional label became attached and whether there are issues which need to be looked into”. The Primark’s spoke man at least out of courteous mentioned to investigate into it. We fair trades approving people should push The Primark to promote a better working system and fair pay rate.
Kunal Dutta further pointed out “Primark’s Code of Conduct sets out the core principles that suppliers and factories must follow to ensure products are made in good working conditions, and that the people making them are treated decently and paid a fair wage.” This is why I do not shop in Primark and never have. Primark’s exotic beautiful clothes are incredibly cheap because they’re production of torturing slavery of destitute people, especially women with children. Please be alert and avoid taking part in encouraging modern day slavery!!!
Benetton
Benetton International Chain of Stores of Brand Clothing have been commercially exploiting in silent. Their expensive Brand Clothes were made in Bangladesh. The poor Bengali workers barely can afford to have two meals while the Benetton Directors, Managers and supervisors are living in luxury, even the sales workers are paid a descent salary. Benetton made money by exploitation of human right.
Last week on the 19th June 2013 another group of Human Right Activists held a protest Outside Benetton Store, in Oxford Circus in London. Oxford Circus the Centre of International Attraction and one of the famous Landmarks in Central London. A group of people (men and women) gathered outside the Chain store Benetton, to protest for Rana Plaza victims. The protesters voices echoed in the air. They were demanding for a compensation for destitute victims. Jim Cranshaw, one of the key organisers organised the protest to raise the issue that on 24th of April in 2013, Rana Plaza was collapsed in Bangladesh and killed 1,134 people, injured over 2,500. Jim Cranshaw said ‘on the piles of rubble of Rana Plaza, Benetton labels were found too’.
Despite this issue has been raised to Benetton Company, Benetton the Italian Cloths company have refused to pay any compensation to the surviving victims and the dead victims’ families. Jim added ‘they will continue their advocacy under the banner of www.benettonvictims.org.
Since Benetton refused to pay due compensation to the destitute victims of Bangladesh, no more business should be given to Benetton until they give compensation to the victims.
[Fatema Miah,Solihull, UK]
