Primark post-mortem?
In response to last night’s BBC Panorama exposing child labour in Primark’s supply chain, the Guardian asks “Is this the end for Primark?” We think reports of Primark’s imminent demise are greatly exaggerated. There certainly didn’t seem to be any lull in business when Impactt went to see the protest organized by War on Want at the flagship store on Oxford Street yesterday.The programme was well researched and convincing, raising important points about outsourcing in supply chains. The BBC’s own site has seen a lively debate in response to the question ‘Is there a hidden cost to consumers’ addiction to low-cost fashion?’
Our main beef with the programme was its failure to give workers a voice. The only time any worker spoke was to confirm their age. We are therefore none the wiser about how workers (adults and children) felt about their situation. Whilst the conditions shown in the film were far from ideal, the people stitching the garments may well be dependent on their earnings from this work. Getting their view on how Primark could improve their lot would have been useful. It would certainly have make it harder for the Tirapur Export Association to release a statement alleging that the children captured on film were not actually working.
Hand embellishment of garments in India is almost invariably subcontracted to informal units or homeworkers, carrying the risk of child labour. We welcome the clear view Panorama gave us down these supply chains. The overwhelming public and consumer reaction to the film has been to urge companies to stay in and work with their suppliers and workers on these difficult issues. Criticism of Primark has been focused on the decision to ‘cut and run‘ rather than on the discovery of problems in the first place. Maybe it’s time to move on from denial and distancing towards a more grown-up approach of engagement and improvement.
2 Comments
You say “We are therefore none the wiser about how workers (adults and children) felt about their situation…” - surely this is a distraction from the fact that they have no choice? Even if they were blissfully happy to be earning *any money at all* it would not go any way toward justifying the pitiful wages offered by the subcontractors - who, to be fair to them, could never deliver the contract within budget and on time otherwise - the problem clearly lies with the unreasonable expectations and pressure levied by Primark on the original factory. If consumers here pay a bit more for their clothes then the communities we witnessed would be considerably better off and the children would not need to work - it’s a simple equation non?
Thanks Ali for your comment. We still maintain that workers should be given a voice. Its not just the low-cost brands that are vulnerable this kind of outsourcing so it might not be as simple as consumers paying a little more. Although this would help.