Topshop has been criticised for its overseas sourcing policies and its tax arrangements.

[70] In
December 2007, the Edinburgh branch was targeted by student campaigning network People &
Planet for allegedly using cotton picked by "slave labour". [71]
In December 2010, some 200 campaigners staged a sit-in that closed Topshop's Oxford Circus
shop, and in Brighton a number of protestors glued themselves to the branch windows. Other
high streets in towns and cities across Britain saw similar protests in a day of action by UK
Uncut against corporate tax arrangements. [72] Two months later, police arrested a man for writing
"pay your taxes" in washable ink on the wall of a Topshop branch in Colchester.[73]
In July 2013, the singer and pop star Rihanna won a lawsuit against Topshop to prevent it using
her image unofficially on a T-shirt. The lawsuit was launched on the premise that Topshop
customers would assume Rihanna endorsed the company, that would lead to a false
representation of her celebrity image and increased tensions with her then endorsement deal
with River Island, a high-street rival.[74] Judge Justice Birss agreed that customers would likely be
deceived into believing it had the singer's approval. Topshop launched an appeal to the High
Court, accusing Rihanna of wrongfully advocating that: "only a celebrity may ever market his or
her own character"[75] and Judge Justice Birss of misreading the law on "celebrity merchandising".
[76]
 The appeal was rejected unanimously at the Court of Appeal in London on 22 January 2015 [77]
In July 2015, Topshop has been criticised for its mannequins which some judged as too skinny.
After a customer complained on Facebook, the fashion chain stopped using its tall and skinny
female shop mannequins.[78] Its also been criticised in October 2018 for removing an in-store pop-
up in its London flagship store that was used to promote feminism with publisher Penguin after
only being up for 20 minutes. The fashion retailer had agreed to host the pop-up with Penguin, to
help launch the book Feminists Don't Wear Pink (And Other Lies), written by Scarlett Curtis, with
products for sale supporting the UN charity Girl Up. [79]
In May 2016, the UVW union organised a large protest outside Topshop's Oxford Circus store
attended by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP. It was the headlining event in a national
"day of action" involving 16 other Topshop stores around the country, supported by various trade
unions and activist groups, calling for the Living Wage and dignified treatment of outsourced
cleaners being victimised for trade union activity.[80] Two weeks earlier, an Early Day Motion in the
House of Commons supported by 11 MPs noted: [81]