How ethical is ASOS plc? | Ethical Consumer (2024)

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ASOS comes close to the top of the table in our ethical guide to clothes shops. Does this mean its the best out of a bad bunch, or has it made some genuinely ethical commitments? We investigate.

Is ASOS ethical?

Our research highlights several ethical issues with ASOS, including climate change, environmental reporting, habitats & resources, palm oil, pollutionand toxics, arms &military supply, human rights, workers' rights, supply chain management, irresponsible marketing, animal rights, animal testing, factory farming, anti-social finance, controversial technologies and political activities.

Below weoutline of some of these issues. To see the full detailed stories, andASOS overall ethical rating, please sign in or subscribe.

People

ASOS made considerable improvements in its supply chains from 2011 to 2017. In 2011 it received Ethical Consumer’s worst rating for its supply chain management, and in 2017 it moved up to a best rating.

Its Code of Conduct has been brought in line with the Ethical Trading Initiative’s basic codeand is working to transform issues such as living wages in its supply chain. In 2018 ASOS also published a full list of its suppliers after a call for more transparency in the fashion industry.

Environment

Unfortunately ASOS’s approach to the environment is not as promising. Its 2017 environmental report showed some understanding of its main environmental impacts, with, for example, a report on its carbon footprint and packaging. However, it failed to present a toxics policy on how to reduce its use of chemicals in textile production.

In 2017 a report titled ‘Dirty Fashion’ uncovered the environmental damage caused by irresponsible production practices at Aditya Birla Group’s viscose plants in India and Indonesia. ASOS was one of the clothing brands named in the report as a customer of Aditya Burla. The investigation found that the air and water emissions of some chemicals exceeded regulatory limits, indicating a serious potential threat to the local environment and the health and well-being of its workers and the communities living nearby.

Animals

ASOS has a positive animal welfare policy. It commits to not selling cosmetics that have been tested on animals, including having a policy against selling branded products that test on animals.

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Company information

Company Ethiscore

Company Address:

Greater London House
Hampstead RoadLondonNW1 7FBUK

Contact ASOS

Tweet or email ASOS to let them know what you think of their ethics.

Associated brands

  • Miss Selfridge
  • Topman
  • Topshop
  • ASOS

Related product guides

  • High Street Clothes Shops
  • Ethical Jeans
  • Sustainable Underwear Brands

Ownership structure

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How ethical is ASOS plc? | Ethical Consumer (2024)

FAQs

How ethical is ASOS plc? | Ethical Consumer? ›

Overall rating: Not Good Enough

What is the ASOS brand controversy? ›

ASOS' Ethics Are Unclear

The brand has been called out on their labor standards several times, with jarring claims of human rights violations.

What are the sustainability issues of ASOS? ›

Our research highlights several ethical issues with ASOS, including climate change, environmental reporting, habitats & resources, palm oil, pollution and toxics, arms & military supply, human rights, workers' rights, supply chain management, irresponsible marketing, animal rights, animal testing, factory farming, anti ...

Is ASOS marketplace sustainable? ›

ASOS does have environmental sustainability priorities. They also do measure and share their CO2 footprint, which is how we know it's increasing. They have goals to reduce landfill waste and improve circularity, but most of these goals extend to 2030, so it's hard to assess their commitment.

Is it ethical to buy from ASOS? ›

We rated ASOS's environmental impact “Not Good Enough”. The ASOS brand uses some lower-impact materials in its clothing, but there is no evidence it minimises textile waste when manufacturing its products. In addition, we found no evidence ASOS is taking actions to protect biodiversity in its supply chain.

Is ASOS clothing made in China? ›

As of May 2021, the highest number of ASOS manufacturing factories are situated in China, with a total of 231. India and Turkey come in second and third place for the number of ASOS manufacturing factories, with 217 and 130 factories respectively.

What are the ethical values of ASOS? ›

lawfully, through fair & honest dealing; without exploiting the people who made them; in decent working conditions and; without damaging the environment.

Is ASOS like SHEIN? ›

ASOS and SHEIN both cater to the young and the fashion-hungry. They're like two trendy friends who know exactly what you want to wear before you do. But, they have their own unique ways of serving up style. SHEIN is all about fast fashion at super low prices.

Is ASOS cruelty free? ›

ASOS firmly believes it is not acceptable for animals to suffer in the name of fashion or cosmetics. No animals should be slaughtered specifically to produce products sold through any of ASOS' websites. All animal materials used must be by-products of the meat industry.

What does ASOS stand for? ›

ASOS originally stood for AsSeenOnScreen with the tagline "Buy what you see on film and TV" because it exclusively sold imitations of clothing from those mediums (for example, Brad Pitt's red leather jacket from the 1999 film Fight Club).

What is the most sustainable fashion brand? ›

Patagonia is one of the biggest leading brands in sustainable fashion. They are known for their commitment to the environment and to promoting sustainability and ethical business practices throughout the clothing industry. Find out more about Patagonia's environmental ethos here.

What is ASOS weakness? ›

Weaknesses. Dependence on the UK market: Although ASOS has expanded internationally, a significant portion of its revenue still comes from the UK market. This reliance on a single market can make the company more vulnerable to economic fluctuations and local competition.

Who owns ASOS? ›

So, who owns ASOS? Here is everything you need to know about its biggest shareholder, Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen, and his connections to Scotland.

Why is ASOS so good? ›

Well, the brand achieves its success by focusing on the basics and being really very good at them. A visit to the ASOS webstore will inform you of this the moment you land. The portal is incredibly clean and clutter free and is incredibly simple and intuitive to navigate.

What's going on with ASOS? ›

Business boomed for the fast-fashion giant during the pandemic, but now Asos is struggling with sluggish sales and a pile-up of old stock. Katie Rosseinsky asks if the brand's current efforts to turn things around are enough to save the beloved online shopping platform.

Why has ASOS fallen out of fashion? ›

Analysts point to challenges including supply chain concerns, consumer caution, bad weather in the UK and competition from the likes of China's Shein.

What are the issues with ASOS supply? ›

Last month, Asos blamed the projected sales drop on overhaul efforts, having cut its stock in-take by about 30 per cent year-on-year to “right size” stock levels. The business has been on a mission to reduce its stock and costs and improve its profitability.

Why did ASOS crash? ›

Asos, which benefited as physical shops were shut during Covid lockdowns, has been hit by more challenging trading conditions post-pandemic as consumers shift away from buying goods exclusively online.

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