Italy’s competition authority is investigating whether Armani and Dior have misled consumers about their production processes, following reports that local companies in their supply chains pay workers too little and force them to work long hours.

Italy's competition authority is investigating whether luxury brands Armani and Dior had misled consumers, it said on Wednesday, following inquiries by prosecutors into worker exploitation at suppliers of the two groups.

The Italian Competition Authority has launched investigations into subsidiaries of luxury fashion companies Armani and Dior over the alleged exploitation of workers in their supply chains, it announced on Wednesday.