Despite claiming it has a zero tolerance policy on child labour, L’Oréal’s Lancôme perfume and cosmetics brand, has been linked to suppliers who use children to pick jasmine for use in their products

The jasmine used in Lancôme Idôle L’Intense – as well as perfume sold by Estée Lauder – comes from Egypt, which produces about half the world’s supply of jasmine flowers – a key perfume ingredient. According to a BBC investigation, children as young as five work long hours and are paid as little as $1 a day for their labour as the luxury conglomerates tighten their purse strings and squeeze budgets. Idôle L’Intense sells for $118 per bottle in the US.

It comes as little surprise that the brands linked to the abuses claim that they are committed to human rights and distanced themselves from the issue. Estée Lauder said it had contacted its suppliers to investigate the allegations.

The report blamed the issues on poor due diligence auditing as well as pricing pressure from top fragrance brands. It comes just months after a Bloomberg investigation  exposed LVMH owned luxury label Loro Piana, who sell €9000 vicuña sweaters, as using unpaid labour in its supply chain. In April, a court case in Milan revealed that workers producing €1800 Armani handbags were being paid as little as €2 – €3 an hour and working in degrading and unsafe conditions.

The opaque nature of fashion and beauty supply chains – often involving outsourcing and layers of subcontracting – allow brands to easily distance themselves from unethical practices, arguing that it would be impossible for them to be aware of abuses, given how far removed they are from the abuses in question.