The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has urged the British government to set up a Garment Trade Adjudicator to ensure retailers treat their supplier factories fairly

Fast fashion brands such as Boohoo were criticized by the committee last July following media reports that factory workers in Leicester, central England, were paid as little as 3.50 pounds ($4.40) an hour, well below the legal minimum wage.

The government has since set up a multi-agency task force to probe conditions in the sector and Boohoo has promised reforms but textile factories have come under pressure during the coronavirus pandemic with brands delaying or canceling orders.

The British Retail Consortium has proposed a licensing scheme to stop rogue firms from accessing the market and undercutting legitimate fashion manufacturers.

The EAC said the adjudicator could investigate brands' purchasing practices and supplier relationships, issue recommendations, name offenders, and impose fines.