The UK’s Business and Trade Committee is set to question two global online retailers, Shein and Temu, over their labour practices during a parliamentary hearing on January 7. The committee aims to examine the government’s employment rights bill and ensure protection for British workers.
Shein, founded in China in 2008, will be represented by its general counsel, Yinan Zhu, while Temu will have Stephen Heary, senior legal counsel, and Leonard Klenner, senior compliance manager, testify. Both companies face allegations of poor working practices at factories in China and forced labour in their supply chains.
Shein claims to respect human rights and has a zero-tolerance policy on forced labour, but Temu says it strictly prohibits the practice. The committee will also hear from experts such as Margaret Beels, director of labour market enforcement, and Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Eleanor Lyons.
The hearing comes as Shein prepares for a potential London initial public offering (IPO). The company has faced criticism over its lack of transparency on working conditions in its supply chain. Temu is also expanding rapidly in the UK and Europe, raising concerns about labour practices in its global operations.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/uk-lawmakers-summon-shein-temu-questioning-over-labour-practices-2025-01-02