Primark - a web of sleeze!

[Clown Shoes 10]

Primark sells rubbish quality junk to people who couldn't give a toss about the ethics of labour conditions in whereeverystan. I don't shop there, you I'm sure don't shop there, the people who do don't give a toss. So "reputation" is irrelevant. Cheap is their target market.

 

However lets say it was and the Jeremy Kyle mob suddenly developed a deep concern in ethical supply chain management, who the hell are Primark to dictate to foreigners? Is it illegal? In this case yes so it seems. So time for the Primark Police to fly in and make arrests?

 

No, of course not, it's a matter for the third worlders to enforce their own laws. Maybe even stop being corrupt backwards asshats?

 

If primark have payed a single penny in bribes to allow this lawbreaking then lets have them in court. If not then they are just buying a product from a supplier and have no need or right to start strutting around like cops in a foreign country.

 

Primark's profits are up 26% for the first quarter of this year and have been one of the success stories of the recession.

 

Why? Because like the rest of the world, times are hard and families are having to tighten their belts to make ends meet. Should everyone shop at Harvey Nicohols so they can be self righteous at dinner parties?

 

If you really want to make a difference, sell ya house & all your possessions and send them your money.

 

But somehow i dont think you'll be doing that.

[andygardener 10]

Primark and their legal specialists are adept at posturing and intimidating revenue and customs staff and building inspectors in Bangladesh. The neoliberal agenda is peopled with Harvard Law School graduates, Oxford and LSE alumni, all versed in the latest sophisticated scams.

 

Tax structures shaped by the multinationals starve states in the Global South of the funds to develop effective regulation - that's all part of the neoliberal strategy.

 

Yeah, those damn lizards at it again. If only we could find their hive and get rid of them then Bangladeshi building inspectors would never take bungs from Bangladeshi businessmen to put Bangladeshi workers at risk of death.

 

One thing is certain - it's definitely not a Bangladeshi problem that they need to man up and sort out for themselves, it's all the fault of Primark/Lizards/Both

[Staunton 18]

Primark's profits are up 26% for the first quarter of this year and have been one of the success stories of the recession.

 

Why? Because like the rest of the world, times are hard and families are having to tighten their belts to make ends meet. Should everyone shop at Harvey Nicohols so they can be self righteous at dinner parties?

 

If you really want to make a difference, sell ya house & all your possessions and send them your money.

 

But somehow i dont think you'll be doing that.

 

As I said earlier, my context is dead bodies. That is - living, breathing human beings dying in the rubble of factories in far off places, whilst making cheap clothes for the UK and other western nations as they create big profits for millionaire executives.

 

I do not call that a success story.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Staunton

[Tradescanthia 10]

Even the quality end of the market exploit 3rd world trading conditions/advantages.

Marks and Spencer manufacture in Sri Lanka and China. M+S sell very few products made in western countries. They manufacture via 'agent companys' so its not M+S who are exploiting, but the company they employ. M+S never get their own hands dirty.

[TeaFan 10]

Primark and their legal specialists are adept at posturing and intimidating revenue and customs staff and building inspectors in Bangladesh. The neoliberal agenda is peopled with Harvard Law School graduates, Oxford and LSE alumni, all versed in the latest sophisticated scams.

 

Tax structures shaped by the multinationals starve states in the Global South of the funds to develop effective regulation - that's all part of the neoliberal strategy.

 

I think you're falling into a classic liberal trap here. The issue is as old as capitalism - one small class is exploiting another much larger class and it's really down to the larger class of workers to stick up for themselves and organise together to use their collective power to reduce and ultimately end their exploitation. Yes, it would be ethical of Primark and others to check out their suppliers as far as possible but really it comes down to the conflicting interests of the boss class and the working class, so it's down to Bangladeshi workers to assert themselves. Your best bet in helping them is sending money to any good, democratic Bangladeshi unions for textile workers.

 

When South Korea was an emerging economy their workers organised quickly and asserted themselves very strongly, sometimes violently so. They got themselves into a good position.

[Clown Shoes 10]

As I said earlier, my context is dead bodies.

 

The owner of the building had planning permission for a 4 storey building & added another 3 without permission.

 

He was caught trying to flee the country & arrested.

 

How is that Primark's fault & subsequently the British publics fault for buying their clothing. Clothing that most people are forced to buy because of tight budgets.

 

Its not our fault they earn crap money and have live in poverty. Its the way the world is.

[Staunton 18]

The owner of the building had planning permission for a 4 storey building & added another 3 without permission.

 

He was caught trying to flee the country & arrested.

 

How is that Primark's fault & subsequently the British publics fault for buying their clothing. Clothing that most people are forced to buy because of tight budgets.

 

Its not our fault they earn crap money and have live in poverty. Its the way the world is.

 

It is not my fault, and I am guessing that it is not your fault either. But Primark, British Associated Foods, Nike, Coca Cola, Arcadia, Npower, Google, Starbucks, Boots, Vodafone, Nokia, Betfred, Asda, Dow, Shell, Total, Tesco, and all the other free marketeers know exactly what they are doing.

 

Primark, Wittington Investments, call them what you will, have the blood of dead Bangladeshi workers on their hands.

 

It is the way that neoliberals have shaped the world.

 

---------- Post added 02-05-2013 at 00:12 ----------

 

Even the quality end of the market exploit 3rd world trading conditions/advantages.

Marks and Spencer manufacture in Sri Lanka and China. M+S sell very few products made in western countries. They manufacture via 'agent companys' so its not M+S who are exploiting, but the company they employ. M+S never get their own hands dirty.

 

You are indeed correct Nimrod. Another of the Wittington Investments portfolio of businesses is the prestige Fortnum and Masons, the pride of Picadilly and favoured haunt of the rich and pampered classes - hardly the sort of establishment one would readily associate with the budget outlet Primark.

 

But the free market operators don't care who or what they exploit.

[Clown Shoes 10]

Primark, British Associated Foods, Nike, Coca Cola, Arcadia, Npower, Google, Starbucks, Boots, Vodafone, Nokia, Betfred, Asda, Dow, Shell, Total, Tesco.

 

All the things i love.

 

All the things that the people of Bangladesh would love too if they had the opportunity so maybe you could swap with one of them.

 

You seem to hate this country & its whole way of life so just leave.

 

Go stand in front of Israeli bulldozers in the west bank or join the freedom fighters in Darfur.

[Murphy Jnr 10]

Fair point Clown Shoes. If we did a role reversal, I wonder how many poor folk finding themselves rich or even just better off would give a flying fig about the have-nots.

[Staunton 18]

Go stand in front of Israeli bulldozers in the west bank or join the freedom fighters in Darfur.

 

What's happening in Israel? What is going on in Darfur?

 

Please do tell us.

[Clown Shoes 10]

What's happening in Israel? What is going on in Darfur?

 

Please do tell us.

 

Im not being dragged into that conversation.

 

Ive made my point.

 

Go sit outside & have a Solero. The sun is shining!

[Staunton 18]

Go sit outside & have a Solero. The sun is shining!

 

Solero - produced by Unilever, a multinational corporation with structured tax arrangements in secrecy jutisdictions.

 

No thank you.

 

http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/corporatenews/storyoftheday/tabid/1598/entryid/1056/unilever-criticised-for-tax-haven-use.aspx