Woolworths recalls kids T-shirts over use of animal fur

File Image: IOL

File Image: IOL

Published Dec 13, 2017

Share

Johannesburg - Retail giant Woolworths on Wednesday announced the recall of three children's t-shirts over the use of animal fur on the pom-pom trims. 

The company said it was alerted to the potential use of animal fur in the pom-pom trims on these t-shirts and following independent testing, it was confirmed that the fibre used in the pom-pom trim was indeed animal fur.

"With immediate effect, the product was removed off the shelf, pending further investigation," Woolworths said  

"Woolworths is committed to animal welfare. It is our ethical obligation to ensure that the animals in our supply chain are treated in the most humane way possible. On this basis, Woolworths policies state that no animal fur may be used in any of our products."

Woolworths said animal welfare policies form part of its contractual agreements with its suppliers, an agreement they are obligated to adhere to. 

The retail giant added that: "In this instance, our supplier purchased trims from a 3rd party based on our synthetic specifications and did not test whether the fibre was synthetic or from animal fur. They are now placing additional emphasis on managing these sourcing processes better.

"We would like to sincerely apologise to our customers for this disappointing incident. This does not reflect the high standards we have set for ourselves. In light of this incident, we will reinforce our policies governing animal welfare to ensure further awareness at all levels and add additional controls and testing to ensure this does not happen again."

IOL

Related Topics: