by Helen Reid
LONDON (Reuters) – Swedish clothing giant H&M has decided to phase out its supplies from Burma, it told Reuters on Thursday, after allegations of growing worker rights abuses at factories country textiles.
H&M thus becomes the latest clothing brand to sever ties with its Burmese suppliers after similar measures taken by competitors such as Zara, owned by Inditex, Primark and Marks & Spencer.
“After careful consideration, we have taken the decision to phase out our activities in Myanmar,” H&M said in an email to Reuters.
“We have been following developments in Burma very closely and are finding it increasingly difficult to conduct our operations to our standards and requirements.”
Myanmar’s government spokesman was not immediately available to comment on H&M’s announcement.
The Swedish group said on Wednesday it was investigating 20 alleged cases of workers’ rights violations in textile factories in Burma from which it supplies.
A Britain-based human rights group has claimed abuses of workers’ rights, such as wage theft and forced overtime, have increased since the February 2021 military coup. which plunged Burma into a political and humanitarian crisis.
Some diplomats and experts, however, warn that the withdrawal of major brands from the country could worsen the situation for workers in the garment sector, most of whom are women. Burma has more than 500 garment factories that produce clothes and shoes for Western brands.
Major companies in other sectors have also withdrawn from Burma, such as TotalEnergies and Chevron.
(Report Helen Reid, Blandine Hénault for the French version, edited by Bertrand Boucey)
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