China H&M stores hide signs amid 'Xinjiang cotton' backlash fury

China H&M stores hide signs amid 'Xinjiang cotton' backlash fury

Swedish multinational clothing-retailer H&M has hidden its exterior signages at a mall in northern China amid the Xinjiang cotton backlash fury.

Swedish multinational clothing-retailer H&M has hidden its exterior signages at a mall in northern China amid the Xinjiang cotton backlash fury.

The video filmed in the city of Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province on March 26, shows the H&M store's signs wrapped in a makeshift covering at Wanxiang Cheng Mall.

According to reports, consumers in China boycotted H&M after a Communist Youth League highlighted a months old statement expressing "deep concern” over reports of the alleged use of Uighur forced labour in cotton production in western China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

H&M e-commerce has also been removed from prominent sites Taobao and JD.com, Baidu searches yielded no results and H&M has also been removed from mobile map apps.

Retail operations continued as normal inside the store, but with a noticeable drop-off in customers.