TODAY.AZ / Business

Turkey continues boycott of French goods; Carrefour, Danone bear losses

15 October 2006 [18:43] - TODAY.AZ
Turkish consumers are launching a boycott of French goods following the French parliament's decision to pass the Armenian bill, which foresees punishment of those denying an "Armenian genocide." Some Turkish citizens are refusing to buy products upon learning they are French.

Consumers associations called on consumers to boycott French goods while some chain stores are putting labels on French goods to inform consumers of their French origin.

Kiler, a leading retailer, has decided not to sell French goods. Afra Shopping Center, a supermarket chain operating in Konya, is putting labels on approximately 100 French products that read, "This is a French product."

The French store Carrefour, a partnership in Turkey with Sabanci Holdings, has been the most affected by the protests. The number of cars parked at the shopping center has been declining daily. Fewer customers are coming to the shopping center with every passing day.

There has been a 30 percent decrease in the sales of Total oil, which is on top of the Consumers Association's list.

Clothing company LC Waikiki announced that it was not a French company as presented to the public, but a Turkish company. The company issued a full page announcement in daily newspapers in Turkey after its name was mentioned on the list of products to be boycotted.

The company's announcement asserted that they needed to explain their origin after some Internet forums claimed they were French. The announcement read, "LC Waikiki was purchased from French DDKA Company by Tema Textile Corporation in 1997 and became a Turkish company."

Onur Hypermarkets Beylikduzu location Manager Ekrem Yilmaz said that people who bought Danone products were beginning to return them after learning that Danone was a French company.

"There is no strong reaction yet. Some of our customers brought back Danone products they had previously purchased. Some of them returned them claiming the product had expired," said Yilmaz. Zaman

URL: http://www.today.az/news/business/31477.html

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