Chinese fashion retailer Shein has vowed to invest $15m (£12.2m) in improving standards at its supplier factories as it admitted working hours at two sites breached local regulations. The online brand said an independent investigation – launched following allegations over labour abuse made in a recent Channel 4 documentary – had uncovered that employees at two of its Chinese sites were working hours that were longer than allowed under local rules.
It found staff at one of the factories were working up to 13-and-a-half hour days with at least two to three days off a month, while those at the second site were working up to 12-and-a-half hour days, with no fixed structure for days off. Shein said: “While these are significantly less than claimed in the documentary, they are still higher than local regulations permit”.
It has cut orders from the manufacturers that operate the sites by three quarters and given them a deadline of December 31 to address their working hours, or face possible further action. The undercover probe by Channel 4 alleged employees at the factories were working up to 18 hours a day, throughout weekends and being paid as little as 3p an item, with just one day off a month.
