Submitted 3 weeks ago by fne8w2ah@lemmy.world to unitedkingdom@feddit.uk
At the risk of angering people working in retail (I’ve worked retail); I can’t comprehend how ‘Retail Manager’ is worthy of a skilled worker visa.
Obviously this article is dealing with abuses of the visa programme but presumably there are many people out there running a branch of currys who came here on a visa to do it. That shouldn’t be necessary in a sector that is shrinking.
Modern slavery cases in the UK retail sector almost doubled between 2024 and 2025, according to new analysis from anti-slavery charity Unseen. And supermarkets and convenience stores had by far the highest prevalence once retail was broken down by sector.
The number of modern slavery cases reported to Unseen’s Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline in the retail sector increased from 33 in 2024 to 65 in 2025, while the number of potential victims rose from 100 to 201.
Unseen’s new report, Behind the Counter: Modern Slavery in the Retail Sector, shows that retail has become an increasingly significant setting for modern slavery. By 2025, it was the fifth most common industry for modern slavery cases reported to the helpline. In the first six months of 2026, a further 40 cases involving 84 potential victims were recorded, meaning retail accounted for 7% of all modern slavery cases reported to the helpline during that period.
Between January 2025 and June 2026, once retail was broken down into sub-industries, by far the “highest prevalence of modern slavery was in supermarkets and convenience stores, which accounted for 69% of cases and 76% of potential victims”, according to the report. In total, 201 potential victims across 66 cases reportedly experienced modern slavery in food and drink retail. This compares to just six in electronics retail outlets, five in automobiles, four in clothing and accessories, three in furniture and homewares, and 44 across all “other” types of retail combined.
The report identifies skilled worker visas as the most common route into exploitation in UK retail. Between January 2025 and June 2026, where immigration status was known, 55% of potential victims were reportedly on skilled worker visas. Workers can become vulnerable because their immigration status is tied to their employer, with exploiters using threats around visa cancellation or reporting people to immigration authorities as a means of control.
‘The reality was very different’
Many workers reported being recruited to the UK with promises of skilled, well-paid employment, only to find themselves in low-paid roles, working excessive hours and subjected to financial control, threats and debt.
This was the case for Tanvir, whose name has been changed. The report describes how “Tanvir came to the UK on a skilled worker visa for a well-paid job as a retail manager. When he arrived, the reality was very different to what had been promised to him and what he was contracted for. Tanvir was predominantly tasked with cleaning and shelf stacking, and forced to work far beyond his contracted hours, often exceeding 50 hours a week.
“Tanvir received his full salary, but his employer made him return the majority of his wage, only able to keep £500 per month, well below the national minimum wage. If Tanvir complained about these conditions, his employer would threaten to cancel his visa or beat him up.”
Alongside modern slavery, Unseen is also seeing widespread labour abuse in the retail sector. During the first half of 2026, 141 potential victims of labour abuse were indicated – already more than the 134 recorded across the whole of 2025. The most common indicators were excessive working hours and failure to pay the national minimum wage.
Justine Carter, deputy CEO at Unseen, said: “Modern slavery is often described as hidden, but in retail it is happening in places many of us visit every day. Behind the counter, people are being exploited in plain sight.
“The response needs to go beyond individual businesses. government, enforcement bodies and the retail sector must work together to close the loopholes that allow exploitation to happen and ensure workers understand their rights before they arrive in the UK.”
Carter expressed concerns around the recent Home Office announcement allowing exploited migrant workers on skilled worker visas to work unsponsored for the rest of their visa term.
The report calls for urgent reform of the skilled worker visa route, including reducing workers’ dependency on a single sponsor, providing clearer information about visa costs and employment rights before workers travel to the UK, and giving workers better options to change sponsors.
Businesses also have a critical role to play. The report calls on retailers, franchise operators, suppliers, wholesalers and brands to move beyond compliance statements and put practical measures in place to identify risks, scrutinise recruitment practices, listen to workers and respond safely when concerns are raised.
Unseen’s Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline provides a confidential route for people to report concerns and seek support.
FishFace@piefed.social 3 weeks ago
With those numbers (33 to 65) this is as likely to be noise in the data as increased reporting or an actual increase in cases.
BigTwerp@feddit.uk 3 weeks ago
I think there’s also been more publicity and general awareness of the issue as well. Certainly I have noticed modern slavery awareness posters on bus stops in the last year and never saw much before that.