"Customers suspected of theft called 'No. 11'"
"Secretly photographing customers and sharing images in group chats"
"Red marks even placed on some customers' bags"
Controversy is spreading as numerous posts on Chinese social media platforms express displeasure over being treated as thieves at Uniqlo stores.
On December 21, Hunan Daily reported, "It has come to light that Uniqlo secretly recorded customers in its stores under the pretext of preventing theft and shared these recordings in group chat rooms."
Clothing brand Uniqlo in Japan. The photo is for article understanding purposes and is unrelated to the content. Photo by AFP Yonhap News.
According to the report, Uniqlo staff use the code word "Number 11" to refer to customers suspected of shoplifting. Employees secretly take photos of suspicious customers in the store and share them. This includes not only CCTV screenshots but also covert photos of customers browsing clothes. Images of customers selecting clothes are shared in group chat rooms with hundreds of members, including staff. An album disclosed by a former employee shows various scenes, such as a middle-aged man wearing a mask standing in front of a full-length mirror, and a young woman touching clothes on a mannequin. In one case, a customer's belongings inside a bag were marked in red. One informant explained that these instructions came from higher up, stating, "The more frequent the theft losses at a location, the more often such covert photography occurs."
No action has been taken despite complaints from customers. One customer expressed discomfort, saying, "As soon as I entered the store, employees watched me with suspicion and kept following me at a certain distance." Another customer also said, "When I went to get a refund, the staff kept following me around, which was embarrassing."
According to Hunan Daily, Uniqlo has not responded to related inquiries. Hunan Daily stated, "Uniqlo has violated customers' privacy without consent and shared photos labeling them as thieves," adding, "Criticism of such unethical customer management practices is expected to intensify going forward."
Some suggest that Uniqlo, a leading Japanese apparel brand, has become a target due to the recent escalation of tensions between China and Japan. On November 7, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made remarks in the House of Representatives implying potential intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency. Since then, China has issued strong criticisms on a daily basis and has introduced retaliatory measures such as advising against studying in Japan and restricting travel to Japan.
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