ASOS exposé reveals 'exploitative' contracts

A three-month investigation into ASOS by BuzzFeed News has revealed allegations of exploitative contracts, an overbearing security regime, and stressed workers.

BuzzFeed News interviewed current and former ASOS warehouse employees and obtained internal documents, text messages, and phone recordings that detailed highly pressurised work conditions.

Both agency and permanent staff disclose that they are assigned arduous targets which involve them processing large volumes of orders every hour at the detriment of their wellbeing – some say that managers have discouraged toilet or water breaks at the end of shifts.

The investigation also uncovered allegations of intrusive and “embarrassing” security checks, and the docking of pay if a worker is a single minute late: these are disputed by XPO, which runs the distribution centre.