Original version

BBC WORLD NEWS Asia Pacific

The BBC's international 24-hour news and information channel, as seen by viewers in Africa.

BBC WORLD NEWS Africa

BBC WORLD NEWS Middle East

BBC WORLD NEWS Europe

BBC WORLD NEWS Latin America

BBC WORLD NEWS North America

BBC WORLD NEWS South Asia

Lora Jones

The Dark Side of Direct Sales

Documentaries

Factual

Dark Side of Door-to-Door

BBC World News - The Dark Side of Direct Sales

Lora Jones reveals the dark side of direct sales and asks if #HustleCulture goes too far.

The dark side of direct sales is revealed by reporter Lora Jones who asks if workers are being exploited, and if #HustleCulture has gone too far.

Big money, glam work trips abroad, and becoming your own boss. Sounds good for your first job out of college or uni, doesn't it? Some direct selling firms in the UK are jumping on the popularity of hustle culture to recruit young people into entry-level jobs in 'marketing' or 'management' to work with big-name clients. The reality is often very different though - working 80-hour weeks doing door-to-door sales or selling to people on the street. An ex-agent at one company in Newcastle said forfeits for not hitting sales targets included eating chillies or having your hair cut off. He said he was earning so little he couldn't afford shampoo. Another in London says the pressure to get sales meant she was denied toilet breaks.
 
So how is this possible and who is responsible for the welfare of these young people? Despite some offices offering full-time jobs, often advertised with a base salary, Lora Jones discovers many are asked to register as self-employed so don't receive minimum wage and holiday. With the rise of hustle culture and #riseandgrind have they been sold a dream? And what can young people do to protect themselves?

BBC World News

BBC  World News

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Dark Side of Direct Sales

Contributors

Genres

Formats

BBC WORLD NEWS Asia Pacific

About BBC World News