Brands respond to Ethiopia “race to bottom” claims

AMSTERDAM – H&M, PVH and Walmart have responded to claims that apparel brands are entering Ethiopia as part of a race to the bottom. The Worker Rights Consortium recently claimed brands are being lured to Ethiopia because of base wages for garment workers that are as low as US$26 per month. However, a spokesperson from H&M said: “Our position is very clear; we have not and do not intend to move production capacity from other markets to Ethiopia in a ‘race to the bottom.”