Saks Joins Burma Boycott
Saks Inc., which owns Saks Fifth Avenue and nine other major retail chains, announced it will not be selling products made in Burma, the Southeast Asian country that is now called Myanmar.
Saks becomes the 39th company to ban goods made in Burma, joining retailers Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Tommy Hilfiger Corp. and Federated Department Stores Inc., which owns Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and several other national chains.
The boycott is to protest the military dictatorship that governs the country and the human-rights violations that have taken place there, a company statement said.
Saks received a letter from the Free Burma Coalition and other groups concerned about human-rights violations in the country.
The retailer said that within days of receiving the letter, it made the decision not to stock products from Burma.
Saks said in a letter that its “policy applies to all suppliers, private-label and otherwise.”
The company’s stand received praise from the Free Burma Coalition.
“By banning sourcing and retail of products made in Burma, Saks is taking a stand against oppression and dictatorship in Burma,” said Aung Din, director of policy for the Free Burma Coalition, in a press release. —Deborah Belgum
