JC Penney Destroys Unsold Clothing On Orders From Ralph Lauren

H&M went through public shaming when they were caught shredding and throwing away brand-new merchandise instead of donating it to charity. Now a JC Penney store in Pennsylvania has reportedly done the same thing. Company representatives admitted to the Pittsburgh TV station that exposed the destruction of merchandise that this is official company practice, but only for items from the Penney’s-exclusive Ralph Lauren Living line.

Employees at one Pittsburgh-area store were disgusted, and contacted local news media.

“This is a brand new policy. Nothing like this before had been done at Penney’s,” said one employee, who wished to remain anonymous. “We’ve destroyed blankets. We’ve destroyed shirts, sweatshirts. I mean, you name it.”

It might be a new practice to these employees, but it is an official policy, to protect the Ralph Lauren brand. A JCP spokesman told WTAE:

“For a company like ours, in our business, your brand is your most valuable asset. The most important thing is to protect that brand. And with a few items in the American Living brand, if the brand name is actually on the product, our policy is to destroy it.”

Evidently they can’t cross out the name with a marker, or cut off the labels.

Team 4: Retailer Destroys Goods Rather Than Donate [WTAE] (Thanks, Bryan!)

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Eddie Bauer Outlet Destroys Unsold Clothing, Throws It Away
H&M Store Cuts Up Unsold Clothing, Throws It Away

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