Boohoo unaware of potential US import ban over slave labour links
Boohoo today said it had not been contacted by US customs authorities, following reports that America could block the fast fashion retailer’s imports over modern slavery allegations.
The e-commerce giant said it had not “received any correspondence from, nor is it aware of any investigation by, US Customs and Border Protection”.
It said it “will work with any competent authority to provide assurance that products from its supply chain meet the required standard”.
Boohoo, which recently bought Debenhams, made the statement after Sky News reported that the border agency had seen enough evidence to launch an investigation following communication with a UK campaigning lawyer.
Duncan Jepson, who runs modern slavery campaign group Liberty Shared, said Boohoo has not done enough to stop forced labour in its Leicester factories, the broadcaster reported.
Boohoo shares are down 4.4 per cent to 329p this afternoon.
Last year, Boohoo was rocked by allegations of low pay and poor working conditions at its suppliers’ factories in Leicester;
An independent review, conducted by Alison Levitt QC and published in September, found that the allegations were“not merely well-founded but substantially true”.
It also revealed that the company’s monitoring of its Leicester supply chain was “inadequate”, which was “attributable to weak corporate governance”.
The company vowed to address all of the concerns raised in the report.
Today, Boohoo said its supply chain in Leicester had been “significantly improved and strengthened” since the Levitt review was published.