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Are Football Shirt Factory Workers Being Stitched Up?: GCSE Business In the News

Mike Mills

8th October 2026

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Cambodian workers making official football shirts report poor pay and conditions.

Official shirts for clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Celtic and Real Madrid can be traced to two factories in Cambodia.

Adidas does not own either factory, but both are important suppliers in its supply chain.

Employees earn a basic wage of about £158 to £166 a month. This meets Cambodia's legal minimum wage, but workers say it is hard to cover rent and food. They also describe working in temperatures above 35C, being shouted at if they miss daily production targets of up to 700 items, and feeling unsafe around electrical equipment.

Adidas carries out around 1,200 factory audits a year. The company claims that wages for its Cambodian suppliers are above a living-wage benchmark.

Nevertheless, many fans think official shirts are too expensive. Research suggests that, of an £85 shirt, £37.45 goes to the retailer, £16.25 to the manufacturer, £9.50 to marketing, £13.60 to VAT and £8.50 to materials, sewing and shipping.

The average price of a Premier League shirt has risen by more than 50% in ten years, and some fans now buy cheaper fakes.

Pressure groups say clubs should refuse to put their name on shirts if workers are not treated with respect.

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Mike Mills

Mike is an experienced Head of Department, teacher and A-level Business examiner. Mike is also a popular presenter on tutor2u CPD courses and student workshops.