Regatta: Questions asked after Chinese prisoner’s ID reportedly found in lining of coat at UK sale
Regatta is in the spotlight as concerns are raised after a Chinese prisoner’s ID was reportedly found in a customer’s coat lining.
The coat was purchased by a woman in Derbyshire as part of the British coat brand’s Black Friday sale, the Guardian reported today, but what she received wasn’t quite what she was expecting.
Telling the publication that she soon felt something in the lining of her sleeve, she discovered what she believes to be a prison identification card – with a mugshot of a man and the name of a prison in China.
“It’s a UK brand that’s up there with Next, with M&S, that you put your children in their clothes … and this happens, and it just makes you feel really uneasy and uncomfortable,” the woman told the outlet.
Raising her concerns to agents at the retailer, she was told it was a work ID from their China-based factory – but later was asked to return the ID, and offered a new coat in exchange.
Regatta denied that the new coat was offered in exchange for the ID card, the outlet said.
A spokesperson told the Guardian: “Regatta Ltd took the incident reported to us by a customer very seriously and an immediate investigation commenced.
The firm insisted it has “strict policies” to ensure ethical standards, and opposed forced or prison labour.
It said an investigation found the item was made in a “fully compliant factory”.
Regatta did not immediately respond to Morning Wire for comment.