How Law for Change Supported Stop Uyghur Genocide in Stalling Shein’s London Stock Exchange Bid
A year long sustained legal effort by Stop Uyghur Genocide (SUG), supported by Leigh Day and backed by funding from Law for Change and the Good Law Project has been credited with stalling fashion giant Shein’s bid to list on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
In July 2024, Leigh Day approached Law for Change for pre-litigation research funding to investigate widely-reported allegations that Shein’s supply chains were linked to forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region. The research set out to highlight to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the unethical practices in Shein’s supply chains following Shein’s application to be listed on the LSE.
With the help of Law for Change’s funding, in August 2024 SUG submitted its dossier to the FCA, arguing that Shein’s alleged use of Uyghur forced labour not only raised moral concerns but could also amount to criminal conduct under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The dossier highlighted links between cotton production in the Xinjiang region and forced labour, and the connection of this cotton to Shein supply chains.
Leigh Day also presented this evidence to Shein’s in-house counsel in January 2025, just ahead of the company’s appearance before the Business and Trade Select Committee.
In April 2025, further evidence was submitted to the FCA, including findings from an independent supply chain expert commissioned by Leigh Day. The mounting legal pressure, alongside public scrutiny and campaigning by SUG, raised the stakes for Shein’s proposed UK flotation.
In June 2025, it was reported that China’s Securities Regulatory Commission had withheld approval for Shein’s LSE listing, with Reuters and City AM citing the legal threat and reputational risks as key factors. According to Reuters, the allegations surrounding Xinjiang cotton complicated Shein’s bid and risked embarrassment for the Chinese government.
This case exemplifies the power of soft law mechanisms and pre-litigation research funding to push back against corporate impunity and challenge systems that profit from forced labour and human rights abuses.
SUG continues to urge the FCA to formally reject Shein’s listing, warning that it’s approval would send a dangerous message that the UK tolerates profits linked to modern slavery.
Stop Uyghur Genocide are represented by Leigh Day partner Ricardo Gama.
Read more here
