Topshop cancelled a promotional event on campus this week following protests from student campaign group People and Planet, claiming concern for the safety of their staff.

Topshop cancelled a promotional event on campus this week following protests from student campaign group People and Planet, claiming concern for the safety of their staff.

The cancellation follows a People and Planet protest at the opening of Topshop’s new Princes Street branch last week in which they accused Topshop of employing sweatshop labour in the production of their garments/clothes.

Amy Elderton, a spokesperson for the Arcadia group who own Topshop, told Student: “Due to the reaction against the Topman activity that was at Edinburgh University the week before Topshop activity was scheduled, we took advice from the university and through our university contacts and decided we didn't want to put our staff in any danger by continuing with the T-shirt printing part of the activity.

People and Planet have reacted angrily to the claim, with member Fiona Ranford saying: “We have been nothing but peaceful in our approach to challenging Topshop's supply chain practices. Their withdrawal reflects their fear of being asked difficult questions and having an unfavourable light shed on their brand, not some ungrounded fear of staff abuse.

“Students will continue to ask questions of retailers who can't provide a serious plan to improve conditions and wages for exploited garment workers, soon Topshop will have to stop running and start answering. Students won't be fooled or satisfied by token gestures.”

Topshop however have denied any wrong-doing in the production of their garments, saying: “We make it clear at the beginning of our relationship with a supplier that we will not work with any factory that employs child labour. We believe every worker has the right to join a trade union, we support the principle of a living wage and with regards to the environment we have made significant progress on a number of fronts”.