The Mail on Sunday yesterday reported that H&M employees in Germany went on TV last week to claim that the firm bullies union activists, threatens staff who criticise it and spies on its workers. One woman said "like many of my colleagues, I was told to put in a daily report on peoples phone conversations or chats in the office, all under threat of dismissal if I did not co operate".

A union representative from Germany's Verdi, one of the worlds biggest trade unions said "The situation is getting worse and worse, and H&M management are doing nothing to improve it". "The company treats its people with suspicion and with contempt" In Britain H&M spokeswoman said "There are absolutely no cases here in the UK matching those currently alleged to be going on in Germany."