The ongoing boycott against foreign brands in China continues. After H&M, Nike and Adidas, Burberry becomes the first luxury brand to receive backlash from China.
Burberry is slowly losing access to China, one by one. Its Chinese brand ambassador, Zhou Dongyu, terminated her contract. The brand has also lost its hallmark tartan design on Tencent Holding’s renowned game, “Honor of Kings”.
Burberry is a part of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). The group promotes sustainable cotton production and is said to have suspended the cotton coming from Xinjiang. The suspension was based on human rights concerns.
Last November, Burberry sent a letter to British lawmakers to explain its stance on the issue. The letter reads that Burberry is not related to any suppliers based in Xinjiang, nor do the company has any operations in the region. The letter also noted that Burberry did not condone any form of modern slavery among its suppliers. Thus, no form of forced, bond or involuntary prison exists in Burberry’s business.
Additionally, the brand wrote on its website to be sourcing its cotton from the United States, Australia, Turkey, India and Egypt.
In the middle of all the conflict, Burberry China chose to remain silent.
China sanctions more parties
China, on the other hand, sanctioned organisations and individuals in the United Kingdom for “lies and disinformation” about Xinjiang, Reuters reports. This came after Britain previously imposed sanctions for alleged human rights abuses in the region.
Not only the United Kingdom and Britain, activists and U.N. rights experts have also expressed concerns over labour abuse in Xinjiang. The parties accused China of using mass detainment, torture, forced labour and sterilization on Uighurs in the region. A claim that got rejected by China right away, stating that the actions in the region are necessary precautions to counter extremism.
Read also: China Boycotts Several Fashion Apparels for Supporting Xinjiang
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