Indian Gap supplier using child labour: Report
An Indian supplier to clothing retailer Gap has been found using child labour to produce items for Gap Kids branches in Europe and the United States, a newspaper reported here on Sunday.
By Agencies |
LONDON: An Indian supplier to clothing retailer Gap has been found using child labour to produce items for Gap Kids branches in Europe and the United States, a newspaper reported here on Sunday.
In response, Gap has withdrawn the garments involved from sale while it probes breaches of the group's ethical code.
The weekly paper conducted an undercover investigation which discovered Indian children as young as 10 years old working for a Gap subcontractor in the Shahpur Jat area of New Delhi.
The report said that the child workers described long hours of unpaid work, threats and beatings.
The report added that the children were producing blouses in time for the Christmas market -- to be sold at the group's child-focused Gap Kids chain.
In response to the findings, Gap released a statement saying it was "unacceptable" for children to produce its clothing.
"At Gap, we firmly believe that under no circumstances is it acceptable for children to produce or work on garments," Gap said in a statement published in the newspaper.
"It is clear that one of our vendors violated this agreement, and a full investigation is under way.
"After learning of this situation, we immediately took steps to stop this work order and to prevent the product from ever being sold in our stores. We are also convening a meeting of our suppliers where we will reinforce our prohibition on child labour."
In response, Gap has withdrawn the garments involved from sale while it probes breaches of the group's ethical code.
The weekly paper conducted an undercover investigation which discovered Indian children as young as 10 years old working for a Gap subcontractor in the Shahpur Jat area of New Delhi.
The report said that the child workers described long hours of unpaid work, threats and beatings.
The report added that the children were producing blouses in time for the Christmas market -- to be sold at the group's child-focused Gap Kids chain.
In response to the findings, Gap released a statement saying it was "unacceptable" for children to produce its clothing.
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"At Gap, we firmly believe that under no circumstances is it acceptable for children to produce or work on garments," Gap said in a statement published in the newspaper.
"It is clear that one of our vendors violated this agreement, and a full investigation is under way.
"After learning of this situation, we immediately took steps to stop this work order and to prevent the product from ever being sold in our stores. We are also convening a meeting of our suppliers where we will reinforce our prohibition on child labour."
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