Labour Lens

Kärcher

Lacks transparency

Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.

Homewares, furniture & appliances

Partly verified: what this means

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources

Family-owned German maker of pressure washers and cleaning machines.

There's no proof Kärcher pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.

Better-graded appliances

Graded higher than Kärcher, selling the same kinds of things.

ASKOHomewares, furniture & appliancesPremium dishwashers and laundry appliancesIts own factories in Slovenia and Serbia hold SA8000 certification.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Open supply chain3 starsMazzerHomewares, furniture & appliancesCommercial and home coffee grindersMakes its products in its own factories in Italy, where legal wages are close to a living wage.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Open supply chain3 starsMieleHomewares, furniture & appliancesPremium household appliancesIts own factories in Germany and Poland hold SA8000 certification.GoodGoes Above and Beyond: Gives workers a real voice; Open supply chain4 stars

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Why it's graded Lacks transparency

  • Not met: Meets 3 of 6 Good requirements.
  • Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
  • It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
  • 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.

How grades are decided

Good requirements 3 of 6

  • Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
  • Not met: Respects worker rightsSome of its products are made in countries such as China and India, 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
  • Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
  • Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
  • 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 2

  • Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
  • Red flag: Made partly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain

Stars it would earn as Good

None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars

Where it's made

Kärcher says it makes products in Germany, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Brazil, Mexico and China. Press and retailer reports name India. The rest is shown as where homewares and appliances are usually made.

Where it's made, and conditions there
CountryWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
ChinaNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
IndiaNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
GermanyStrong protectionsAbout a living wageLow
ItalyStrong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
RomaniaRegular violationsBelow a living wageModerate
SlovakiaStrong protectionsNot ratedModerate
BrazilSystematic violationsBelow a living wageModerate
MexicoRegular violationsBelow a living wageModerate
VietnamUsual for the industrySystematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
PolandUsual for the industryRegular violationsClose to a living wageModerate
IndonesiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageModerate
MalaysiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate

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.
  • Owns or runs its own production
  • Modern slavery statement

Research notes Kärcher makes most of its machines in its own plants in Germany, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Brazil, Mexico and China, and press reports describe local manufacturing in India. It does not publish a supplier list or a share of production by country, so no country shares are given. Its code of conduct bans forced labour and requires suppliers to pay at least the legal minimum wage, with no living wage commitment; it says it audits suppliers yearly but publishes no audit results or findings.

What independent sources say

SourceResultDetails
Australian Modern Slavery RegisterListedKärcher Pty Ltd (Australia) files modern slavery statements; the 2023 statement describes group supplier audits and code sign-off but reports no specific findings. View
UK Modern Slavery Statement RegistryListedKärcher (UK) Ltd's modern slavery statement for 2025 says supply is dominated by group plants in Germany, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Brazil, Mexico and China; it reports no audit results. View
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion ReportNot coveredBaptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion and Electronics reports do not assess cleaning appliance makers such as Kärcher. View
Business & Human Rights Resource CentreUnclearNo Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reports on labour abuses at Kärcher plants or suppliers were found. View

Sources and actions

Sources 7

Show all 7 sources
  1. Kärcher opens third factory in Romania (Romania Insider) · search the archive · Three Kärcher-owned plants in Curtea de Argeș, Romania, with over 1,300 staff
  2. Kärcher expands local manufacturing in India (Digit) · search the archive · Kärcher manufactures professional cleaning machines and components in India
  3. Kärcher K4 Universal pressure washer (Bunnings) · search the archive · Kärcher pressure washers sold at Bunnings stores in Australia

Published by Kärcher or its owner

  1. Kärcher Pty Ltd Modern Slavery Statement (FY2023) · search the archive · 22 production and logistics sites in DE, IT, RO, SK, BR, MX, CN; annual supplier audits; no findings reported
  2. Kärcher (UK) Ltd Modern Slavery Statement (FY2025) · search the archive · Supply dominated by group plants in DE, IT, RO, SK, BR, MX, CN; annual supplier audits; no results or living wage
  3. Kärcher Code of Conduct · search the archive · Zero tolerance of forced labour; statutory minimum wages; no living wage; supplier audits at most yearly
  4. Kärcher annual review 2025 press release · search the archive · Family-run; about 17,000 employees; expansions in Romania, Changshu (China) and Bühlertal (Germany)

Company details

Headquarters
Germany
Employees
About 17,000
Last researched
3 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Kärcher ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/karcher, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method
Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

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