Migrant workers employed at Carrefour sites in Saudi Arabia, franchised by the French retail giant, have been subjected to exploitation, excessive working hours, and squalid living conditions, Amnesty International revealed in a new report.

The report, “I Would Fear Going to Work”: Labour Exploitation at Carrefour Sites in Saudi Arabia, highlights how workers were deceived by recruitment agents, denied rest days, and cheated of their earnings. Many feared being “fired” if they complained or refused overtime, with some abuses potentially amounting to forced labour and human trafficking.

The investigation uncovered that workers, hailing mainly from Nepal, India, and Pakistan, were overworked, underpaid, and often lived in overcrowded and unhygienic accommodations. “Inside Carrefour stores, workers are not treated as humans. They treat workers as animals,” said Anand, a former warehouse worker, describing the gruelling conditions. Many workers were forced to walk over 20km daily, work up to 16-hour shifts, and frequently had their weekly rest days cancelled, despite Saudi labour laws and Carrefour’s policies.

Amnesty International criticised Carrefour and its partner, Majid Al Futtaim, for not preventing the abuses or compensating affected workers. “Carrefour has a clear responsibility under international human rights standards to ensure abuses do not occur throughout its operations,” said Marta Schaaf, Amnesty’s Director of Climate, Economic and Social Justice.

In response, Carrefour and Majid Al Futtaim announced internal investigations and audits of their Saudi operations, but Amnesty stressed that further action, including reimbursement of recruitment fees and worker compensation, is still required.