- Germany edition
- Change edition:
- France |
- Norway |
- Spain |
- Sweden |
- Switzerland
Kik bought clothes from doomed factory
Published: 19 Sep 12 08:35 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/money/20120919-45055.html
Discount clothes chain Kik has admitted to getting products made at the factory in Pakistan where nearly 300 workers died in a fire last week, due to basic safety standards being flouted.
- Cooler and wetter week ahead (20 May 13)
- Bayern wins, Dortmund loses ahead of CL Final (19 May 13)
- Holiday travellers face traffic trouble (17 May 13)
Kik, based in Bönen, North-Rhine-Westphalia, is owned by Tengelmann. It admitted on Tuesday it had been buying mostly jeans from the factory in Karachi for years.
The discounter said it was saddened by the 289 deaths in the factory and said it would work with other customers of Ali Enterprises to establish a fund to help survivors, and families of those who died.
It also said it had contracted out the job of making checks on factories – and would now try to find out why this had obviously not worked.
Two years ago Kik published a 90-page sustainability report which stressed the responsibility of contractors for producers, in areas such as work conditions, labour rights, social standards and wages.
The Campaign for Clean Clothes (CCC) criticised Kik, alongside Aldi and Lidl, this year for exerting too much pressure on their producers. “They demand good quality, fast delivery and pay badly,” said Lars Stubbe from CCC.
Countries which promote themselves with low minimum wages add to the pressure on manufacturers, and the results were often what CCC called catastrophic work conditions.
Kik has itself been the focus of criticism in the past – for low wages and a data protection scandal. Since then it has introduced a minimum wage and produced a sustainability report.
It employs 20,000 staff in more than 3,000 shops across Europe and latest figures showed an annual turnover of €1.66 billion.
DPA/The Local/hc
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Economists warn against German euro exit
While a third of Germans would rather pay with the old Deutsche mark than the euro, economists warn that a German exit from the currency union would result in a disaster. READ () »
Germany cool to France's EU economy plan
Germany said Friday that French President Francois Hollande's proposal for a eurozone economic government was "interesting" but reacted coolly to his call for strengthened European budgetary powers. READ () »
Au pairs rules relax for non-German families
Foreign families will soon be able to officially engage au pairs from outside the European Union, as long as they speak German at home, as the government prepares to change the law. READ () »
Germany refuses to slam French economic policy
Germany will not publicly criticize France over economic policy, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble insisted on Thursday, amid differences between Berlin and Paris over growth versus austerity in battling the eurozone debt crisis. READ () »
Capri-Sun drink wins false advertising award
A German food industry watchdog singled out drinks-maker Capri-Sun for its annual advertising "award" on Thursday, for what the group described as "shameless" marketing of sugary drinks to children. READ () »
Anaemic economy feels winter chill
The German economy, Europe's biggest, clocked up anaemic growth at the start of 2013 as the freezing winter weather put the brakes on activity, official data showed on Wednesday. READ () »
ThyssenKrupp bins 3,000 admin jobs
German heavy industry giant ThyssenKrupp said on Wednesday it plans to axe 3,000 administrative jobs worldwide as disastrous investments in steel operations overseas tore holes in its balance sheet in the second quarter. READ () »
Pay deal for metal workers averts strike
Germany's powerful union IG Metall agreed a pay deal with the metal industry's employers association early Wednesday, averting the threat of a major strike. READ () »
First ever strike hits Amazon's German unit
German employees of Amazon staged their first-ever walkouts on Tuesday as the US internet retail giant was hit by a dispute over pay. READ () »
Volkswagen plans giant car plant in China
German auto giant Volkswagen will build a plant in central China, a spokesman said Tuesday, as it battles US rival General Motors to be the top foreign automaker in the world's biggest car market. READ () »
- 13/05 Germany launches new job creation drive »
- 10/05 German giants dazzle Dax »
- 10/05 Netto pioneers mobile phone payments »
- 08/05 Court: gay and straight tax breaks must match »
- 08/05 BMW recalls 22,000 cars over airbag fault »
- 07/05 France tells Germany: we need growth too »
- 07/05 Germany 'lags behind on organic farming' »
- 06/05 Painter Baselitz raided in tax avoidance move »
- 06/05 Lufthansa hits turbulence over top job choice »
- 03/05 Most would increase tax on the wealthy »
See all ads | Join the Marketplace
-
PsyShrink Frankfurt
The Expat Psychologists in Munich, Frankfurt and worldwide -
Weiss Institut
Free yourself from Smoking addictions, Sugar craving and Alcohol addictions -
PsyShrink Munich
The Expat Psychologists in Munich, Frankfurt and worldwide -
British Corner Shop
British Corner Shop - The online supermarket for expats -
Shiply Worldwide Ltd
Shiply the Online Transport Market Place -
Chambervelt Rooselain & Cie Ltd.
Insurance and financial planning for English speakers in Germany
825 jobs available
610 new jobs this week
126 new jobs today
- Senior Vendor Manager Automotive
- Senior Recruitment Manager (m/f)
- Senior Product Manager - European Fulfillment Network (m/f)
- Produktmarketing Manager Elektronische Sicherheitstechnik (m/w)
- Head (m/f) of Credit Analysis Team
- Mitarbeiter (m/w) Sekretariat für die Bereichsleitung "Kunststoffadditive"
- Contract Specialist I - Germany
- Senior Product Manager, EU Translations (m/f)
- Regulatory Affairs IT and/or Business Consultants for Life Science IT projects
- Accountant (m/w)
- 20/05 'Lean hospital a sign of Swedish welfare reform' »
- 20/05 H&M mulls production in South America and Africa »
- 19/05 Nord Stream plans new gas pipelines »
- 17/05 'Sweden next in line for housing market crash' »
- 17/05 Solna voted best place to live in Sweden »
- 17/05 LinkedIn profile lands Swede with hefty tax bill »
- 16/05 India in no rush to open first Ikea store »
- 16/05 H&M CEO to Bangladesh: raise minimum wages »
- 15/05 Pensioners to recruit ageing Swedish rockers »
- 15/05 Sweden plummets in income equality ranking »
- “Preserve the proven, shape the new” – the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart
For more than thirty years, Helmuth Rilling shaped the international Bach Academy; now he is succeeded by Hans-Christoph Rademann. - ‘Open Mike’ – Fireworks with the Buddha
The Berlin ‘Open Mike’ entered this year its twentieth edition. - On the Stage, the Spoken Word Prevails
In January 2013 the annual meeting of the Dramaturgical Society took place in Munich; its theme: “Speaking on Stage – and about Theatre”... - The Magician of Images – Klaus Ensikat
With the technique of an Old Master and subtle humour, the award-winning graphic designer and illustrator Klaus Ensikat has for fifty years produced ingenious illustrations for literary classics and children’s books.... - A Picture Every Day – Philip Waechter
Philip Waechter, son of the famous illustrator and cartoonist Friedrich Karl Waechter, is one of the best-known contemporary writers and illustrators of children’s books....
- Theatre festival between the Saar and the Mosel
The Festival Perspectives in the German-French region around Saarbrücken is staging European theatre, dance and music productions. - The European Year of Citizens
2013 is the European Year of Citizens. - Europe Day, Robert Schuman and Class 4a
Enthusiasm for the idea of Europe – in the 60th European Competition, schoolchildren from Germany show what this could look like. - Relief organizations
The portals presented here provide information on the help programs offered by different organizations.
- (Junior) Event Manager
- Design Engineer Aerospace in Toulouse
- Design Feasibility Engineer / Craftsmanship Engineer (m/f)
- Electrical Engineer Stationary Energy Storage
- Ph.D. student - Security & Privacy in Vehicular Communication
- Product Safety Engineer – Subsea Services
- Segment Manager Marketing (m/f)
- Accountant
- Flavour Chemistry Senior Scientist
- Junior Database Administrator SQL Server
- 19/05 Car Boot Sale Herford
- 17/05 paid internship
- 17/05 Florida resident seeks job in baden Baden Germany
- 17/05 Berlin Writing Group
- 17/05 cheap car hire
- 15/05 Queen size bed & frame
- 13:12 After Work Queer Beer - everyone is invited.
- 13:12 Medizinisch Psychologische Untersuchung - MPU
- 13:07 A tale of domestic violence.
- 12:58 Is learning 'der die das' impossible?
- 12:48 Why do air bubbles form under my wall paint?
- 12:40 Taking my daughter on holiday to Pakistan
- 12:23 Wedding anniversaries
- 12:17 Working from home in Germany: pros and cons
- 12:16 Let's cocktail! Ladies Night in Frankfurt =)
- 11:43 Pension insurance refunds on leaving Germany
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
'Charming, old, beamed cottage for holiday let in Jesus Pobre, Alicante, Spain
www.littlehouseinspain.com/
Professional and qualified consultancy on all insurance and finance matters in Germany, Telephone: +49 2163 571 1740, Email: bg@albatross-assurance.com
www.albatross-assurance.com
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Your comments about this article:
Gut und Günstig? JA
We buy it because it is cheaper than what western Nations can produce. The consumer is the enabler.
If we all decide not to purchase these items (if you can find them anymore) in Japan, Germany or the USA ,ect. for more money, what would happen to those families that depend on us purchasing their goods.I don't believe they would be better off anymore than I believe people would pay more
It takes time and a concerted effort by the leaders to achieve the same standards we are accustomed too, when they do achieve these standards the products would no longer be cheap.