The Devil Wears Primark

A new show on Channel 4 titled "The Devil Wears Primark".

Alex Cheung discovers where Primark sources it's clothes and sets up her own sweatshop.

Looks really good and interesting and I hope that people will watch it and stop shopping in that hell hole.

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when is it aired?

I would probably watch it, were it not for Alexa Chung presenting it.

Reply 3

Dionysus

I came to this conclusion some time ago. Naturally, if something is dirt cheap, it's likely to have been produced in poor conditions. It will never cease to amaze me that people accuse me of being unethical for buying a top that costs £30 and made in the UK whilst they buy something costing £3 and made in a sweat shop in Indonesia.

Reply 4

Thud

If we paid them more we would destabalise their economy - who's going to become a doctor when they get paid more to make clothes for the west. It always makes me laugh when people go on about unethical; what's more unethical giving them a job and a way of living or producing all our stuff here and letting them starve?

Secondly I can't afford £30 for a top when I can go to primarck and get one for £3. In fact I do a lot of my shopping in asda, tesco and charity shops because I find £30 for a tshirt absolutely extortionate.

Reply 5

Steffiewoo

Sounds like an interesting programme, but maybe too similar to Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts. Will have to give it a watch anyway.

Reply 6

Sugar Plum Fairy

Sounds interesting, although I too cannot stand Alexa Chung :p:

I very much doubt it will stop me shopping in Primark though. My budget is smaller than my conscience.

Reply 7

SuperDaz

I'm too poor to be ethical. I love Primark, I'd been wearing the same things for three or four years before I found it :blush:

Reply 8

randomgirl

Thud

Yep, truth. Yes it can be unethical buying such things, but you have to look at the otherside of the coin.

I do shop in Primark from time to time, because of the cost factor mainly.

Are many clothes actually made in the UK? I mean, apart from really expensive designer labels. Do any high street stores get most of their clothes made here? *googles*

Reply 9

StotheL

Thud

Exactly.

It's a lose lose situation. Consumers complain about sweat shops, child labour and ridiculous pay to workers in foreign countries, but if we start paying them more, it means the prices in clothes rise. Tops in Primark are no longer £3 and then everyone goes crazy complaining about the rising prices of everything.

It's the same with all businesses, profit is almost a dirty word. So many people complain that Tescos is destroying sole traders and small local businesses, yet they shop in Tescos as does the majority of the public, so why on earth would we close down the stores. Heh, idiotic, no-one can be pleased! :rolleyes:

Reply 10

quintsy

To be honest, as much as it would be great if the conditions in sweat shops could improve, if workers could receive more money etc. I have a feeling this programme really won't make a significant impact. We are fully aware that shops like Primark which sell their goods at such low prices cannot be using the most ethical methods where production is concerned, but this is more symptomatic of the far greater problem which is actually in the countries where the production takes place. A handful of people boycotting Primark as a result of watching the programme is not going to make the situation there any better.

Reply 11

x7xemilyx7x

PoisonDonna

I would probably watch it, were it not for Alexa Chung presenting it.

i might watch, depsite the fact i can't stand her either.

Reply 12

Ed.

Is it not just a copy version of the BBC Three program, 'Blood Sweet and T-shirts' ??

But Alexa Chung :smile:

Reply 13

Belle-x

I very much doubt that the programme will put people off from shopping in Primark. I, for one, won't stop shopping there, as much as it may make me unethical. I agree with the majority of posts here about the economy etc. Also, a dress at £8 is just too good for me :redface:

Reply 14

Sachlee

its not exactly guaranteed anyway that paying more for clothing means better conditions for the workers...which is why its easier to not feel guilty for shopping in primark

Reply 15

RosiePosiePuddingAndPie

I'm just going to quote a post I made some time ago when people were saying that Primark is unethical, because, although it's not brilliant, it's definitely not the worst out there...

RosiePosiePuddingAndPie

I'm not saying Primark is brilliant, but it's part of the Ethical Trading Institue (here's a link for proof :p:

) along with M&S, Mothercare and other retailers, whereas Matalan hasn't made any such effort. That article you linked to is out of date.

How about these comparisons: Matalan and Primark... Matalan scores 0/5 in everything, while Primark scores 2/5 (the same as Debenhams). TK Maxx scores 0s and 1s. (for anyone who's interested, or wants to make comparisons, here's a link of loads of companies http://www.cleanupfashion.co.uk/companies/.... very few score better than 3!

I accept Primark still leaves a lot to be desired, and I don't have any particular connection with the shop (well, they paid me £3.83 an hour for six months when I worked there, but apart from that :p:

)... I just think it's unfair for people to single out Primark as being worse than other shops!

So there you go. Just thought people here might find the links slightly interesting :p:

I might watch the program, but like others have said, Alexa Chung is a bit too annoying, so I can't guarantee watching it all the way through :p:

When is it going to be on?

Reply 16

Rei

PoisonDonna

I would probably watch it, were it not for Alexa Chung presenting it.

She's fit.. :biggrin:

Reply 17

Lunarsea

Ed.

Is it not just a copy version of the BBC Three program, 'Blood Sweet and T-shirts' ??

But Alexa Chung :smile:

Well, I dunno about a copy. It might have been devised at the same time but I doubt they watched Blood, Sweat and T-shirts and thought "Oooh, we should make a show about that.". It's just that where ever an issue springs up there's plenty of eager people to report about it.

I dunno if anyone remembers but a while back every channel was getting some woman to try and get down to a size zero. One week after the other or something ridiculous.

Still, I missed blood, sweat and t-shirts so I will probably watch this. :smile:

Reply 18

Belle-x

RosiePosiePuddingAndPie

I'm just going to quote a post I made some time ago when people were saying that Primark is unethical, because, although it's not brilliant, it's definitely not the worst out there...

So there you go. Just thought people here might find the links slightly interesting :p: