The Swedish chain faces a potential consumer boycott after an old story on its concerns about forced labour in Xinjiang cotton fields surfaced on Chinese social media. (Reuters Photo)BEIJING: Chinese celebrity endorsers have abandoned several foreign retail labels, including Nike and other top US brands, as Western concerns over labour conditions in Xinjiang spark a patriotic backlash from consumers. Activists and UN human rights experts have accused China of using mass detention, torture, forced labour and sterilisations on Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang. The China branch of the BCI said on Friday it had not found signs of forced labour related to cotton production in Xinjiang. H&M said at the time it was deeply concerned by the reports that forced labour was used in Xinjiang.

Source: Bangkok Post March 26, 2021 12:00 UTC