Frasers Group controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2020
Frasers Group apologizes over Sports Direct store-closure actions
Company response
Frasers Group issued a public apology after controversy over its attempt to keep Sports Direct stores open after non-essential retailers were ordered to close. Mike Ashley said the company's communications were poor and its emails to the government were ill-judged and poorly timed.
Company response
Apology — Frasers Group
Mike Ashley has issued a public apology after his spat with the government about trying to keep his Sports Direct chain open when non-essential businesses were ordered to close.
Clarification — Frasers Group
In hindsight, our emails to the government were ill-judged and poorly timed, when they clearly had much greater pressures than ours to deal with. On top of this our communications to our employees and the public on this was poor.
Remediation — Frasers Group
Ashley said the company had since sought to make amends by offering its entire fleet of lorries to help deliver medical equipment and supplies for the NHS and all key workforces across government.
Source excerpt
Mike Ashley has issued a public apology after his spat with the government about trying to keep his Sports Direct chain open when non-essential businesses were ordered to close.
In hindsight, our emails to the government were ill-judged and poorly timed, when they clearly had much greater pressures than ours to deal with. On top of this our communications to our employees and the public on this was poor.
Ashley said the company had since sought to make amends by offering its entire fleet of lorries to help deliver medical equipment and supplies for the NHS and all key workforces across government.
2017
Sports Direct data-breach disclosure concerns
Reports said an attacker had accessed internal systems in 2016 and questioned whether the workforce had been promptly informed. The Information Commissioner’s Office said it was making enquiries.
2016
Worker wage underpayment
The company admitted breaches involving unlawfully withheld wages and agreed to distribute approximately £1 million to affected workers. Some back-pay issues remained under discussion into 2017.
2015
Sports Direct workplace-practices controversy
Investigations reported alleged unpaid time, clocking-in penalties, zero-hours arrangements, security-check delays and difficult working conditions. The company disputed aspects of the reporting, while later acknowledging unlawful wage withholding and agreeing to repay affected workers.