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Uniqlo risks boycott in China after CEO's Xinjiang comment
The Straits Times
|November 30, 2024
BEIJING - Casual wear giant Uniqlo is facing calls for a consumer boycott in China after the chief executive officer of the clothing company's owner said it does not source cotton from China's Xinjiang, which has faced allegations of forced labor in recent years.
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Fast Retailing CEO Tadashi Yanai made the comment during an interview in Tokyo with the British Broadcasting Corporation that was published on Nov 28.
Two hashtags on Mr. Yanai's comment went viral on Nov 29 on Chinese social media platform Weibo, where several users slammed the company and vowed to never purchase its products.
"With this kind of attitude from Uniqlo, and their founder being so arrogant, they're probably betting that mainland consumers will forget about it in a few days and continue to buy. So, can we stand firm this time?" one user wrote.
Fast Retailing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This story is from the November 30, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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