ASOS’ approach to the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge & HIIT supply chains

In ASOS’ May 2020 statement, published in response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global apparel industry and its supply chain, we committed to paying for all made and in-production stock that had been ordered from our own-brand suppliers, without discount or delay, in line with our approach to ethical and responsible sourcing. We have honoured this pledge in the months that have followed and will continue to do so.

Following the acquisition of the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands on Thursday 4^th February 2021, we wanted to share the steps that we are taking to support and assess our incoming suppliers.

Responsibility for refunding or repaying suppliers for orders which were cancelled prior to acquisition by ASOS lies with the previous business owner and its administrators. However, we are committed to continuing to act responsibly and to supporting suppliers where we can moving forward. If we are alerted to or identify any workers or factories that are facing issues as a result of these previous cancellations, we will work closely with civil society organisations and other retailers to explore what support or resolution may be possible.

Stock commitment

As part of the acquisition, ASOS purchased £30m of already produced stock upfront to support initial trading before we migrate the brands into our normal purchasing cycle. Beyond this, we are working closely with suppliers to review which stock remains outside of the scope of the acquisition, including some orders previously cancelled by Arcadia. We are doing this with a view to trying to reinstate orders or direct them to partners where we can. We are also placing orders for further stock wherever possible. Our long-term plans to revitalise these brands and ensure their continued success and relevance into the future will ultimately be to the benefit of suppliers.

Supply chain review

Alongside the acquisition, ASOS announced it will be undertaking a thorough supply chain review of these brands to ensure compliance with all our Fashion with Integrity principles. This review includes tracking and gaining full visibility of the supply chain and ensuring that suppliers meet our standards and sign up to our codes and policies.

Crucially, and for the first time, the supply chain of these brands will be made public, in line with the approach we take for the rest of our ASOS brands. We expect this process to take some months to deliver but will work at pace to achieve our desired results. We are aiming to achieve full supply chain disclosure and transparency of Tiers 1-3 (manufacturing) by the end of calendar year 2021, enabling scrutiny by external partners and civil society organisations.

Read more about our approach to supply chain transparency and management here.