Tesco, M&S and Sainsbury’s face allegations of worker exploitation in India
UK retailers including Marks & Spencer (M&S), Tesco and Sainsbury’s are facing calls to apologise following allegations of worker exploitation in their supply chains.
Supermarket supplier workers in India reportedly said they do not get toilet breaks or sufficient breaks to drink water or eat lunch.
One member of staff told the BBC they were forced to work overtime, while another said managers sometimes stand behind staff in the canteen and blow a whistle to signal the end of the lunch break.
Meanwhile, women working at a factory supplying US fashion retailer Ralph Lauren said they had been forced to work overnight to finish orders.
The retailers told the broadcaster that they were concerned about the allegations and will investigate.
“They’ve increased our workload,” one employee told the BBC.
“We’re forced to stay late to finish it – or they yell at us and threaten to fire us. We’re scared as we don’t want to lose our jobs.”
“We don’t get toilet breaks, we don’t get time to drink water on shift. We barely get time to eat lunch,” another woman said.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement today, said the corporations “should show some moral and ethical responsibility, be a good corporate citizen and not turn their backs to methodical exploitation of workers in their supply chain for mercantile greed, with an eternal quest for profit and shareholder value.”
Responding to the allegations of worker exploitation, Sainsbury’s said it was “insisting on a number of actions the supplier must take in order for us to continue to work with them”.
Tesco told the broadcaster that it does not “tolerate any abuse of workers’ rights” and were “deeply troubled” by the results of an investigation.
Meanwhile, M&S said it had a “robust” plan following an “unannounced audit” following the claims. It said it had identified poor overtime working practices, but disputed allegations over access to toilet breaks and water.
Morning Wire has contacted the brands for further comment.