Boohoo cuts ties with UK supplier, EAC responds to mislabeling allegations

In light of backlash linked to a revealing investigation into its operations by the BBC, Boohoo Group is believed to have said it has cut ties with a UK supplier.

This is according to Bloomberg, which reported that the fast fashion giant opted to make the move amid allegations that staff at the warehouse had been forced to work over time.

Such practices had been unveiled in a BBC documentary dubbed ‘Boohoo’s broken promises’, in which the media outlet alleged that the company had been putting mounting pressure on garment suppliers despite previously claiming to be cleaning up its supply chain.

Furthermore, a letter issued to the UK’s Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) from Boohoo CEO John Lyttle said that the company had “absolutely not reneged on any of the commitments” it had initially provided the committee with back in 2020, while noting that it had “already delivered significant improvements within [its] supply chain”.

Responding to the letter, the chair of the EAC, Philip Dunne MP, noted that the BBC’s investigation had troubled the organisation, providing evidence that prior commitments made by Boohoo were not being advanced on.

Dunne continued: “Since BBC Panorama’s programme aired in November 2023, there has been subsequent reporting of evidence of incorrect labelling by the company at its Thurmaston Lane site, which the company does not contest.

“This evidence of incorrect labelling practices is concerning: when consumers see labels describing a garment’s country of origin, they expect them to be accurate. I trust that the company is taking urgent steps to ensure that correct labelling practices are in place across its UK operations.”