Employees at a luxury goods manufacturer Gucci outlet in China were subjected to “torture” and “cruel behaviour” during working hours, it has emerged.

In an open letter, workers at the Gucci outlet in Shenzhen have revealed that the employees were made to stand for 14 hours a day, asked to pay for goods stolen by customers and forced to ask for toilet breaks.

The workers claimed that the cruel behaviour even extended to pregnant employees not being allowed food or water during their shifts, the Telegraph reports.

The abuse was so severe that some workers suffered miscarriages as a result, the workers claimed. “It was a kind of torture for us to stand for more than 14 hours a day. No short rest, water or food was allowed even for a pregnant employee,” the letter detailed.

The five signatories of the letter, all of whom have left the company, claimed they were owed thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.

They claim their managers, both of whom have left the company, refused to pay overtime despite keeping them in the store till late nights to undertake stock controls.

The letter also claimed that when items were stolen from the store the staff had to pay out for their replacements despite the thefts being covered by insurance.

Gucci, owned by giant French group Pinault-Printemps-Redoute, has said it is conducting a review of what had happened. The Chinese city of Shenzhen is also said to be investigating the matter.