A US-based labor rights organization, China Labor Watch (CLW), has revealed instances of worker exploitation at a factory owned by the Chinese toy company Pop Mart. The investigation conducted by CLW at the Shunjia Toys factory in Xinfeng county, Jiangxi province, China, uncovered practices such as employees being coerced to sign blank checks and work overtime. The report highlighted concerns like underage workers, aged 16 and 17, being employed without the necessary protections mandated by Chinese law, along with inadequate health and safety training and other labor rights violations.
The factory, which produces toys for the popular “the Monsters” toy line by Pop Mart, reportedly had young workers aged 16 to 18 performing standard assembly line tasks without any differentiation in workload or production expectations compared to adult employees. According to the report, over 50 employees, including three individuals under 18, were interviewed, all of whom were exclusively involved in Labubus production. The factory, with a workforce exceeding 4,500 individuals, was found to have underage workers who lacked a clear understanding of the contracts they signed and their legal rights.
China Labor Watch’s report also pointed out that workers at the factory were subjected to unrealistic production quotas, with teams of 25 to 30 workers expected to assemble a minimum of 4,000 Labubus figures daily. The organization noted that employees often worked over 100 hours of overtime per month, significantly surpassing the legal limit of 36 hours per month. The executive director of CLW, Li Qiang, emphasized the need for improved supply chain oversight mechanisms to promptly address and prevent labor-related issues, urging Pop Mart to establish accessible channels for worker grievances and communication.
In response to the allegations, Pop Mart refuted the claims, asserting its commitment to the welfare and safety of workers at its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) factories. The company stated that it conducts regular audits, including independent third-party assessments by globally recognized audit firms, to ensure compliance with standards and regulations.
