Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Changhong's appliance brand selling fridges, washing machines and TVs.
Forced labour was found in CHiQ's supply chain in 2020, and workers in Indonesia and Pakistan are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
Better-graded appliances
Graded higher than CHiQ, selling the same kinds of things.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries and forced or child labour. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record: the most serious problem on its record (forced labour, last recorded in 2020) is more than 5 years old.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMost of its products are made in China, Indonesia and Pakistan, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Not met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Met: High-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Forced, slave or child labour found in or linked to its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
These are Sichuan Changhong Electric's countries across all its brands; CHiQ doesn't say where its own products are made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Pakistan | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- No high-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
Research notes CHiQ appliances are made by Changhong, whose production bases are in Hefei, Mianyang, Jingdezhen and Zhongshan in China, with overseas plants in Indonesia and Pakistan; it does not say which factories make goods for Australia. Its fridge subsidiary Changhong Meiling was listed by the US government in 2020 over Uyghur forced labour, but no public link to specific CHiQ products has been shown. There is no supplier list, modern slavery statement for Australia, audit results or living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| News reporting and NGO investigations | Listed | ChannelNews reported in 2021 that Changhong's subsidiary Hefei Meiling was on the US Entity List over Uyghur forced labour; Changhong did not respond. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The US Commerce Department put Changhong's fridge-making subsidiary Hefei Meiling (Changhong Meiling) on its Entity List in July 2020 over forced labour involving Uyghurs (US Commerce, 2020). Source · search the archive | Not knownNo public response or remedy reported; Changhong did not answer ChannelNews's questions in 2021. |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Commerce adds eleven Chinese entities to the Entity List (US Commerce, 2020) · search the archive · Hefei Meiling Co. Ltd. listed on 20 July 2020 in connection with forced labour of Uyghurs
- Was your fridge made with forced Chinese labour? (ChannelNews, 2021) · search the archive · Hefei Meiling is a Changhong subsidiary; Changhong bases in China, Indonesia and Pakistan; no response from Changhong
- Chinese appliance giants turn up the heat (ChannelNews, 2026) · search the archive · Changhong is the owner of the CHiQ appliance brand
- Changhong Meiling company profile (Morningstar) · search the archive · Changhong Meiling makes household refrigerators; based in Hefei; about 14,000 employees
- CHiQ brand enters Australian market (GadgetGuy) · search the archive · Changhong launched CHiQ in Australia through Harvey Norman, Bing Lee and about 700 stores
- Hefei Meiling (Wikipedia) · search the archive · Renamed Changhong Meiling in 2018; added to US Entity List July 2020
Company details
- Headquarters
- China
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is CHiQ ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/chiq, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent CHiQ.