Slave Labour for our benefit? (Gap)

Member Name: pebbles

Product:	Gap
Date:	16/10/00 (48 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good quality

Disadvantages: expensive not only in cost but in people's lives in the factories

Having watched Panarama last night on the tv, it has made me think twice about purchasing items of clothing from Gap stores.

I watched in amazement when the presenter informed us (with evidence) that Gap have a 'code of conduct' that they expect their factories to follow. However in the far away country of Cambodia, children as young as 12 are working very long hours and in poor conditions.

It's not only the children who are made to suffer, the women too are expected to work from 0615hrs to 2200 and if they don't, they are mistreated by the management. The ones that spoke to the camera were extremely brave, if they were found out the consequences would have been awful.

They earn about £8 a week! Compare that with the prices that Gap charge for a single item. When the women were informed how much a shirt was sold for in the USA they were horrified. They stated that they would be happy if they were paid the price of 2 SHIRTS for the month. It doesn't bear thinking about does it.

To get jobs in these factories they pay a middle man an extortionate amount of money just to get a job in the first place, it then takes a life time(in some cases) to recoup the same amount of money.

When Gap were interviewed they said they assumed their 'code of conduct' was being followed. BUT the factories were never checked. When asked what they would do about the under age workers they said 'they would get rid of them'. Save the Children suggested that the company paid for the children to return to school, and surprisingly no comment was made.

I'll certainly check the labels when I visit the store and think twice about buying them. No matter how good the clothing may be, are they really worth these poor people working their guts out for a mere pittance for us to look 'cool'?

Summary: