Illegal Child Labor in Egypt, the US, and India

A BBC investigation into the perfume supply chain uncovered that underage workers harvested jasmine in Egypt for suppliers of Lancôme, LOCOM, and Aerin Beauty. Despite this, all luxury perfume brands claim to not accept child labor. L’Oréal SA, the owner of Lancôme, has committed to upholding human rights, and Estée Lauder, the owner of Aerin Beauty, has reportedly reached out to its suppliers. Experts have noted that luxury brand companies are reducing their budgets, leading to low wages. Consequently, Egyptian jasmine pickers are resorting to employing their children.

The US Department of Labor has initiated legal action against Hyundai Motor Company, one of its suppliers, and the employment agency Best Practices Service for employing children at the Smart Alabama plant in Luverne. One victim, a 13-year-old girl, was reportedly working up to 60 hours a week on an assembly line for car parts.

Children in India’s stone-cutting industry engage in hazardous work for meager pay. They manufacture paving stones that are exported to Europe and the United States, often earning less than one British penny for each stone. The UK, the largest importer of Indian sandstone, sells a square meter of these stones for about £80 at retail.