Tesco and Primark accused of profiting from poverty

Social justice charity, War on Want, has slammed leading British retailers Tesco and Primark for cashing in on the credit crunch by selling cheap clothes made by exploited, overseas sweatshop workers.

Employees that make clothes for the two high street firms are paid as little as £13.97 per month, whilst the average workers’ pay is just £19.16 per month, War on Want revealed.

This is compared to the £44.82 per month that the workers would need to provide themselves with the basic necessities of life: nutritious food, clean water, shelter, education, health care and transport.

War on Want’s accusation was made in a week when both Tesco and Primark announced an increase in profit.

Tesco posted a record full year profit of £3 billion, whilst Primark reported a 10% rise in half-year profit.

The charity condemned both companies for driving down labour costs in majority world sweatshops and cotton fields

“Tesco and Primark are thriving by selling cheap clothes while the workers producing them are paid a pittance,” said Simon McRae, War on Want’s senior campaigns officer.

The charity added that sweatshop workers pay a ‘high price’ to give Westerners cheap clothes - through ‘poverty pay’ and worsening living standards.

“Despite the retailers’ continued promises, wages remain well below living costs for garment workers and their families,” McRae concluded.

“It is high time the UK government stopped this abuse.”