Burmese imports horrify customer
10 August 2008, 13:17
By Zara Nicholson
A leading supermarket chain will continue to sell reasonably priced clothes imported from Burma for the next six months, despite that country's human rights record.
This week a Rondebosch resident, Margie Johnson, said she was "horrified" to find Burma-made clothing being sold by Pick n Pay.
She said she had understood local stores had agreed to stop importing from Burma.
In December Weekend Argus ran an article about goods pouring into the country from Burma.
The country, also known as Myanmar, has been slammed for gross human rights violations.
Johnson said a pair of cargo pants she bought at a Pick n Pay clothing store in George last week was made in Burma.
"I was horrified. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw 'Made in Myanmar'.
"It just shows how people will act immorally if there's money to be made."
Pick n Pay clothing general manager Michael Coles said in December the chain was putting pressure on its suppliers to stop imports from Burma.
Last week he told Weekend Argus it had received its last order of summer stock from Burma and that its winter range was still "working its way off the shelves".
Coles said: "We gave our supplier notice two months ago, and he was only to complete work already in progress in the factory.
"All new orders have been routed through factories in other countries."
Earlier, Mr Price said it had cancelled orders from Burma, while Woolworths, Foschini and Edgars said they did not import clothing from the country.
A leading supermarket chain will continue to sell reasonably priced clothes imported from Burma for the next six months, despite that country's human rights record.
This week a Rondebosch resident, Margie Johnson, said she was "horrified" to find Burma-made clothing being sold by Pick n Pay.
She said she had understood local stores had agreed to stop importing from Burma.
In December Weekend Argus ran an article about goods pouring into the country from Burma.
The country, also known as Myanmar, has been slammed for gross human rights violations.
Johnson said a pair of cargo pants she bought at a Pick n Pay clothing store in George last week was made in Burma.
"I was horrified. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw 'Made in Myanmar'.
"It just shows how people will act immorally if there's money to be made."
Pick n Pay clothing general manager Michael Coles said in December the chain was putting pressure on its suppliers to stop imports from Burma.
Last week he told Weekend Argus it had received its last order of summer stock from Burma and that its winter range was still "working its way off the shelves".
Coles said: "We gave our supplier notice two months ago, and he was only to complete work already in progress in the factory.
"All new orders have been routed through factories in other countries."
Earlier, Mr Price said it had cancelled orders from Burma, while Woolworths, Foschini and Edgars said they did not import clothing from the country.
- This article was originally published on page 6 of The Cape Argus on August 10, 2008
Cape Town
