Boohoo ‘sold clothes from factories paying £3-£4 an hour’

FASHION retailer Boohoo has allegedly sold clothes produced by at least 18 factories that auditors say pay below minimum wage.

Reports from 2017 until a few months ago claimed to have found “critical” problems with working hours and documenting records at the Leicester factories.

Auditors also claimed to have found irregularities in setting out working hours, inadequate health and safety policies and no holiday pay records.

Some reports suggested workers in factories reportedly supplying Boohoo were paid £3-£4 an hour.

Boohoo had insisted supply chain problems reported in July were evidence of “the actions of a few” and did not represent “the excellent work of many of our suppliers in the area”.

The reports were sent to a number of factory bosses and other brands but there was no suggestion that Boohoo had access to them.

The retailer said: “Due to the nature of the non-compliance that we have found in a small number of manufacturers we have immediately suspended orders with a number of suppliers whilst they take the appropriate action to resolve the issues identified.”

The brand did not say which factories were suspended.

Leicester East Labour

MP

Claudia Webbe said the allegations suggested “an unforgivable breakdown of our basic social contract”.

Eight of the 18 firms mentioned in the reports denied some or all of the claims set out in the audits.

The other 10 companies did not respond to requests for comment during an investigation by The Guardian newspaper.