Primark’s products are undoubtedly extremely inexpensive. Whereas the thought of a Primark ‘bargain’ excites some people, whenever I see a Primark shopping bag, I become quietly impassioned. There is a reason why Primark is so cheap - exploitation.
Primark Shopping Bags, Oxford Street store
Exploitation
The main sort of exploitation is that of those who make the clothes. The production of Primark’s products uses exploitation of labour. An exploitation which is morally repugnant.
My words are insufficient to communicate the gravity of this exploitation. You can either watch the video below, read a report by War on Want about sweatshop-made clothes, or watch the BBC investigation into child labour and Primark.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voVgTkTUKFc]
Actions and Consequences
The production of Primark’s goods exists because demand for them exists. By buying clothes from Primary, you are sustaining the prosperity of a company which abuses and exploits. More importantly, though, you are sustaining abuse and exploitation. It’s quite simple.
A friend of mine once insisted that in buying Primark products, she was simply quite innocently participating in the free market - if she is able to and wants to buy things of appropriate quality at a good price, she will buy them: a matter of cost and benefit, supply and demand. Yet, in this cost-benefit analysis was forgotten the moral cost of buying from Primark. She was not conscious of this cost, or at least denied its existence.
Child labour - a consequence one can live with?
Moral conciousness
Indeed, it is this lack of moral consciousness that seems to be the ultimate and fundamental problem of most, if not all, Western capitalist states currently.
In his most recent article, John Pilger, journalist, who needs no other introduction, mentions this issue of moral consciousness. I would wholeheartedly urge you to look at his article. All of his articles are easy to read and beautifully crafted; they’re all deeply profound.
Don’t shop at Primark. Just don’t.
