Primark (ABF) — Ethics Grade D+

Primark (ABF) receives an overall ethics grade of D+ (38/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Fashion & Apparel. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 30
• privacy: 85
• consumer: 50
• environment: 25
• humanRights: 20

Documented incidents (3)

• Rana Plaza Disaster (high, 2013) — Primark was one of the primary brands sourcing from the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh when it collapsed, killing 1,134 garment workers. The tragedy highlighted the extreme risks of the company’s ultra-low-cost supply chain model.
• Forced Labor Allegations (high, 2021) — Primark was named in reports investigating forced labor within the cotton supply chain in the Xinjiang region of China. While the company denied direct links, audits faced transparency challenges in the region.
• Fast Fashion Waste (medium, 2022) — As a leader in fast fashion, Primark contributes significantly to textile waste and microplastic pollution. Its high-volume business model relies on cheap synthetic fibers that do not biodegrade.

Documented good deeds

• Sustainable Cotton Program — Primark committed to ensuring 100% of its cotton is organic, recycled, or sourced from its sustainable cotton program by 2027.

Ethical alternatives

• Patagonia — Uses fair trade labor and donates 100% of profits to environmental causes.