Tesco PLC (LSE:TSCO) is facing possible legal action after claims that workers at one of its Thailand-based factories, which produces its F&F clothing, faced forced labour conditions and illegal wages.
Law firm Leigh Day has filed a claim in London’s High Court and sent a letter before action to Tesco outlining the allegations from 130 Burmese migrant workers who made clothes in the factory between 2017 and 2020.
Workers said they received a maximum of £4 a day and were made to work for 15 hours for seven days a week, sometimes without breaks, at the VK Garments factory in Mae Sot.
Tesco responded that the claims should not be brought in England adding that under Thailand’s laws it was not required to protect the workers regarding the allegations made.
Legal claims are also being made against Ek-Chai Distribution System Company, a Tesco subsidiary until 2020, and Intertek Group PLC (LSE:ITRK), a UK headquartered auditing company which inspected the factory and its products.
Both firms said they had no involvement with the employment conditions at the factory.
If a settlement cannot be reached with Tesco, Leigh Day will begin the process of taking the case to the high court, it said.