Fans' pricey jerseys traced to Cambodian factories paying under £1 an hour

An investigation traced official football shirts for clubs such as Arsenal, Celtic, Liverpool and Real Madrid to Bowker Garment Factory and Trax Apparel in Cambodia, where employees earn basic wages of less than £1 an hour. Workers report making up to 700 shirts daily in temperatures above 35°C, enduring verbal abuse when quotas are missed and safety hazards like exposed wiring. Payslips show monthly earnings of $210-$220, with overtime raising some totals to around $300, still insufficient for basic living costs.

The Clean Clothes Campaign called the situation "very grim," while Adidas, whose standards cover the factories, highlighted its audit program. Rising jersey prices have driven fans toward cheap counterfeits, prompting calls from groups like Labour Behind the Label for clubs to ensure respectful treatment of garment workers.