H&M and other Western brands invisible on Apple Maps in China

Amid anger among Chinese consumers about the company’s decision to stop sourcing from the Xinjiang region in China, the locations of H&M clothing stores in China are not showing up on Apple Map searches.

The latest of several Western brands, Hennes & Mauritz, which has more than 400 stores in China, has locations missing from maps, ride-hailing, and e-commerce applications. Other brand includes Nike and Adidas, are also facing calls for boycotts in China.

The US announced last year that it would stop imports of cotton and other goods from Xinjiang, over allegations that the Chinese government uses forced labour in its production. Earlier this week, the Biden administration announced it was imposing sanctions against two Chinese officials over what it says are ongoing human rights abuses against China’s Uyghur Muslim population.

The Chinese government and state-run media, in response, have urged boycotts of Western brands. The Communist Party’s Youth League in China, on Wednesday, pointed to H&M’s statement from last year, in which the company said it was “deeply concerned by reports from civil society organizations and media that include accusations of forced labour and discrimination of ethnoreligious minorities in Xinjiang.” H&M said it would not source cotton from the Xinjiang region as a result.

In a statement posted to its Weibo page earlier this week, H&M China said the company did not “represent any political position” and that the company “continues to respect the Chinese consumer.”

Apple relies on Chinese mapping company AutoNavi for its Apple Maps in China.