RTÉ has said it “paused” its partnership with Penneys for this year’s Late Late Toy Show after it began making a programme about the sourcing of cotton from China.
A RTÉ Investigates programme reported on Thursday that the cotton used in garments that come from many western retailers came from companies that used Chinese forced labour.
The programme outlined how at least 15 Bangladeshi factories that imported hundreds of tons of cotton fabric in 2024 from two companies linked to a Chinese forced labour programme are supplying some of Ireland’s major clothing retailers. The retailers named include Penneys, Dunnes Stores, Marks & Spencer, and Tesco.
Penneys denies any of it garments are made with cotton from Chinese forced labour.
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The RTÉ investigation by reporter Joe Galvin and producer/director John Cunningham found that the two Chinese companies, the Esquel Group and Jiangsu Lianfa Textiles, have long-established operations in Xinjiang, a region that grows up to 30 per cent of the world’s cotton and is home to a persecuted minority group called the Uyghurs.
RTÉ confirmed it had raised the issue of the sourced cotton some months back.
In a statement RTÉ said the partnership was “paused” because the “Penneys ordering deadline for the Late Late Toy Show pyjamas coincided with the initial conversations with RTÉ Investigates”.
The partnership will be revisited for the 2026 RTÉ Late Late Toy Show.
The broadcaster added: “RTÉ conducts due diligence on all commercial partners and keeps all commercial partnerships under review.
“Any new information relating to possible work practices or ethical or environmental issues relating to commercial partners will be reviewed by RTÉ. Where necessary, assurances will be sought by RTÉ.”
The partnership ran for a decade and included donations by Penneys to the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal. In 2024, the company donated €100,000.
Primark stated that it forbids its suppliers from “the Xinjiang region” from using forced labour. “Our position is clear: we do not tolerate forced labour. This is why we insist our suppliers follow our strict operating standards which we continue to strengthen, including third-party forensic testing.
“Given Penneys’ ordering deadline for the Late Late Toy Show pyjamas coincided with the initial conversations with RTÉ Investigates, it was paused for this year.
“There is no suggestion of any link between the range and the questions raised in the programme.”
Primark added it was proud of the partnership and of the money raised for children’s charity and looks forward to revisiting the partnership.
