Primark ramps up efforts to tackle worker exploitation in Turkey, Asia

British budget fashion chain Primark has ramped up checks on the factories it uses in Turkey to ensure Syrian refugees are not exploited as part of a growing company policy to ensure its workers are fairly treated. Paul Lister, head of Primark's ethical trading team, said the retailer known for cheap, high turnover fashion is on a mission to ensure its supply chain is ethical and workers are not exploited - and that consumers know about its efforts. Primark has said little over the years as it faced accusations of using factories or "sweatshops" in developing nations that employ what would be deemed slave labour in the West to sell T-shirts for as little as two pounds. But Lister said the time was now right for Primark to be more open about its policy to crackdown on worker exploitation and explain how it was able to sell clothes at such low prices. Lister said the retailer has this year doubled checks on its 100 or so supplier factories in Turkey amid growing concerns about Syrian refugees who, without a right to work, were vulnerable to abuse. Turkey is the third largest supplier of clothing to Europe after China and Bangladesh and the world's biggest host of refugees...

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