Britain Urged to Tighten Forced Labour Laws Amid Global Scrutiny

A report by Britain's Business and Trade Committee warns that the country could become a haven for goods banned elsewhere due to weak forced labour laws. The report calls for updating modern slavery legislation and penalties for companies neglecting to publish related statements. The inquiry included interviews with online retailers facing allegations of using forced labour-linked materials.

A recent report by Britain's cross-party Business and Trade Committee warns that the country is at risk of becoming a repository for products associated with forced labour that are banned in other markets.

The committee has called for urgent updates to Britain's modern slavery legislation, alongside penalties for companies that fail to publish modern slavery statements. They have also suggested the establishment of a criminal offense for forced labour within supply chains.

This inquiry involved discussions with representatives from online fast-fashion retailer Shein and online marketplace Temu, both accused of using Xinjiang-sourced cotton linked to forced labour.

(With inputs from agencies.)