Gruppo 8 placed under judicial administration over labor exploitation allegations

The Bologna Court has ordered one year of judicial administration for Gruppo 8, an upholstered furniture company based in Forlì. The decision follows a request from the Forlì Prosecutor's Office regarding allegations that the company failed to adequately monitor its primary supplier, Sofalegname.

Investigators are looking into potential labor exploitation, known as ‘caporalato,’ involving Sofalegname. The investigation stems from 2024 reports by Pakistani workers alleging grueling shifts, inadequate wages, and exploitative conditions. These grievances led to significant protests and picket lines in the summer of 2025, eventually resulting in the closure of the Forlì facility.

A court-appointed administrator will oversee the production chain for twelve months to address these critical issues. While Gruppo 8’s legal counsel denies involvement in labor exploitation, attributing the plant's closure to production losses caused by worker blockades, labor unions have expressed regret that the judicial intervention comes months after the facility had already ceased operations.