Far from Clean: Labour Exploitation in the UK’s Hand Car Wash Sector

Jardine, Akilah; Trautrims, Alexander; Gardner, Alison

Abstract

Hand car washing, the process of washing a vehicle by hand, is a relatively new business activity in the United Kingdom (UK). Prior to 2004, hand car washes (HCWs) were virtually non-existent (Clark & Colling, 2018). However, it is estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 HCW operations exist in the UK today, making up 70% of the share of the car wash market and inhibiting the growth of the automated car wash industry (Petrol Retailers Association, 2018). Many have sprung up on the side of the road, in petrol stations, disused forecourts, supermarket car parks, and former public car parks, offering a low cost and conveniently accessible car wash service (Jardine, Trautrims, & Kenway, 2018). In an age of technological advances, such labour intensive operations are fuelled largely by an abundant low-skilled workforce.

Citation

Jardine, A., Trautrims, A., & Gardner, A. (2021). Far from Clean: Labour Exploitation in the UK’s Hand Car Wash Sector. In S. Gold, M. G. Arnold, J. N. Muthuri, & X. Rueda (Eds.), Base of the Pyramid Markets in Affluent Countries: Innovation and challenges to sustainability. Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

• Online Publication Date: May 31, 2021
• Publication Date: May 31, 2021
• Deposit Date: Mar 26, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 1, 2022
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Book Title: Base of the Pyramid Markets in Affluent Countries: Innovation and challenges to sustainability
• Chapter Number: 6
• ISBN: 9781138390119
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4204435
• Publisher URL: https://www.routledge.com/Base-of-the-Pyramid-Markets-in-Affluent-Countries-Innovation-and-challenges/Gold-Arnold-Muthuri-Rueda/p/book/9781032008790
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Bottom of the Pyramid in Affluent Countries on 31/05/2021, available online: https://www.routledge.com/Base-of-the-Pyramid-Markets-in-Affluent-Countries-Innovation-and-challenges/Gold-Arnold-Muthuri-Rueda/p/book/9781032008790#toc
• Contract Date: Mar 25, 2020