Primark voted UK's least ethical retailer

Disposable fashion, the epitome of affordable trends, may be losing its cachet. An exclusive survey for The Times sees Britain's consumers acutely aware of where their goods come from, and have cited Primark as Britain's least ethical clothing retailer.

Out of all the clothing retailers on the high street, Primark is the worst offender when it comes to failing to address social and environmental issues. Marks & Spencer, following the continued success of its Plan A initiative, is perceived as leading the way, ahead of George at Asda and Debenhams.

The findings come after a BBC programme revealed that some Primark suppliers in India were contracting out embroidery work to firms that used child labour earlier this year.

Primark's publicity machine was quick to respond, and dedicated a new website to promote its ethical record and vowed to work more closely with non-governmental organisations. The chain, which is part of Associated British Foods, yesterday insisted that its sales had not been affected by any fallout from the BBC Panorama programme.

The Times survey, carried out by Populus, further revealed 45 per cent of concerned consumers claim that their biggest concern when judging a clothing retailer is its treatment of workers in developing countries, ahead of sourcing materials from the UK and a commitment never to use fur.

Quality beats price as the most important factor when it comes to deciding where to buy an item of clothing, reflecting a prevailing feeling on the high street that consumers are beginning to look for overall “value” in the credit crunch rather than simply searching for the cheapest price.

Source: The Times