Tell the government: we want a Fashion Watchdog

Take action!

It’s time for fashion brands to clean up their act - once and for all. 

Right now, too many big fashion brands squeeze their suppliers to cut costs and boost profits - leaving garment workers to pay the price with poverty wages, unsafe conditions, and no job security. UK retailers are among the worst offenders. 

This can’t go on. Unless retailers are made to change how they do business, garment workers will continue to suffer. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. That’s why we’re calling on the UK government to set up a Fashion Watchdog - an independent regulator to hold retailers accountable and make sure suppliers are treated fairly. So far, ministers haven’t committed to this. But with your help, we can change that. 

That’s why we need to act. Together, we can show them that people across the UK care about fair fashion - and won’t stop speaking out until the Fashion Watchdog becomes a reality. 

What’s the Fashion Watchdog?

The Fashion Watchdog would be an independent regulator to make sure garment retailers treat their suppliers fairly. It would stop big brands from dodging responsibility and put an end to abusive buying practices that harm the people who make our clothes.

We know it can work. Over a decade ago, campaigners won a similar regulator for supermarkets – and it transformed how supermarkets buy food, protecting farmers from unfair treatment. Now it’s time to do the same in fashion.

What fashion retailers are doing

Right now, many retailers squeeze their suppliers with:

  • Last-minute order changes and impossible delivery times
  • Demands for discounts on already agreed prices
  • Waiting up to six months before paying suppliers

This behaviour forces factories into debt, making it harder to pay workers fairly or provide safe conditions. The result is job losses, poverty wages, and excessive overtime for garment workers.

Why fairness matters

When suppliers are paid properly and on time, it would enable them to:

  • Pay workers a fair wage
  • Improve safety in factories
  • Plan for a more sustainable future

Retailers must be held accountable. The Fashion Watchdog would make sure of it.