This archive report was first published on 6 September 2021.
On September 6, 2021, rights activists in Germany filed a criminal complaint against five major retailers, including C&A, Lidl, and Hugo Boss, alleging that they benefited from forced labour among China's Uyghur population.
The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) led the complaint, which also targeted the supermarket chains Aldi Nord and Aldi Sued, after conducting an open-source investigation.
According to Miriam Saage-Maass, a representative of the ECCHR, it is challenging for civil society organizations to obtain clear evidence of the abuse, but there is enough information to warrant a closer look by prosecutors.
She emphasized that there is substantial evidence suggesting forced labour is taking place, and the question remains whether engaging in business relationships with companies involved in such practices constitutes aiding and abetting international crimes.
The five companies listed publicly and voluntarily their supplying factories from Xinjiang, the Chinese region at the center of forced-labour allegations, but Saage-Maass suggested that they may be just the tip of the iceberg.
She pointed out that Chinese cotton makes up 20% of global production, with 80% of it being produced in Xinjiang, making it highly likely that many more companies are sourcing from the region.
Boycott Calls ¶
When contacted by AFP, C&A denied purchasing any garments from Xinjiang-based manufacturers, stating that they have not sourced yarn or fabric from the region.
Hugo Boss also rejected the ECCHR's claims, arguing that their values and standards were adhered to in the production of their goods and that there were no violations of the law.
The Aldi group stated that the ECCHR's allegations were directed at the supplier Turpan Jinpin Knitting, but they had stopped purchasing items from the company since the end of 2019.
