Loughborough University tells Topshop to stop sweatshopping
Students from Loughborough University protest outside Topshop against their labour practises and demand they join the ETI
Activists from Loughborough students People & Planet group made a stand at their local late night ‘Topshop loves students’ night this week. Student shoppers at the event were informed of Topshop’s resistance to join the Ethical Trading Initiative and unfair treatment of workers whilst they attended the event in the hope of picking up a discounted purchase.
People & Planet campaigners gave out flyers and spoke to shoppers as well as forming a human chain spelling ‘Sweatshop’ by the front of the store. Photo opportunities were also provided by an ingenious banner. People could put their face through it to become either either the heroic activist or fat cat Philip Green, billionaire head of the Arcadia group chain.
Many people attending the event commented they were not aware of Topshop’s practises and had assumed they were committed to workers rights.
The Loughborough group were able to draw attention to Topshop’s refusal to commit to providing a living wage as shown in the recent Labour Behind the Label report, something shoppers agreed was unacceptable.