Do you shop at M&S? Please could you stop?

geekesse, I didn't think it read that way at all - just trisher publicising the situation, alerting us to the problem etc. I rarely shop there anyway - so have no problem avoiding doing so - until they clearly have no dealings with Russia.

I won’t be boycotting M&S because I think, as has been explained, they are not trading in Russia, and are raising thousands for Ukraine appeals and have also donated £20,000 winter clothing.
I wonder if many major companies are donating as much?

On a more general level, why does the OP expect me to change my shopping habits to support her pet cause?

This is not a comment on the situation in Ukraine; it’s simply an observation that opinionated people seem to think they have a right to tell others what they should think and how they should behave. I prefer to decide such things for for myself.

My MIL worked for a time at a factory in the NW that made cakes and sandwiches for M&S, Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury's and several other supermarkets in the UK. All the same stuff, just wrapped and labelled differently. The factory is still there (MIL is not), still making the same products, for the same supermarkets, for the same UK. So please could someone explain why buying those cakes and sandwiches is helping Putin? All it would do is put several hundred British workers out of a job.

Or if someone seems credible...

This is getting to be a bit like the Brexit discussions. One group comes up with facts and figures whilst the other group bases their opinions on what they believe.

I don't think M & S manufacture anything. All that they sell are made independantly and M & S are the retailers of the goods.

Well, to err on the side of caution, I will not be shopping at M&S. The Ukrainian MP, who I believe was a lawyer, seemed very credible and I trust her advice.

trisher

But the 5 Ukrainian MPs have asked you not to shop there.
As a matter of fact M&S could try doing what Burger King are doing withdrawing all support (not just shipping). Looking to divest themselves of any financial investment in FIBa or any of its subsidiaries. Donate any money they make from the franchise to Ukraine. Up the amount they are donating to UNCHR (Burger King are giving more)
They are doing the bare minimum just now.

Franchises work the other way. The franchisee pays the franchisor a license to use their business model and they are expected to fit their shops out in the franchisor's style. They have to buy all the produce that they are selling from the franchisor and the franchisor will probably have a say in the location of the store.

McDonalds is also a franchise operation.

The Body Shop is/was another good example of a franchise. Some one, in that case Anita Roddick, comes up with a good idea and opens a few shops. The capital involved in any expansion, especially if you want to keep the company in private hands, so many elect to go down the franchise route.

So M & S have no financial investment in FIBA or any other franchise arrangements elsewhere. As others have said M & S have stopped supplying FIBA. Depending upon the terms of business they may not get paid for goods recently supplied.
Once FIBA's supply of M & s goods dries up the stores will be deprived of stock and may well go out of business.

Trisher Seeing as how you have not fully understood the nature of this business, how do you expect 5 Ukranian MPs to understand how franchises work. I wonder whether many English MPs understand. Probably not many.

There is a food manufacturing company in the Dordogne that makes desserts for M & S. A friend used to teach English to some of the staff before covid and would often come round with boxes of tarts that she had nor room for in her freezer. Very good they were too.

Redhead56

I very rarely shop at M&S the last time I was there at the meat counter ensuring the staff cleared the shelves. The meat mostly poultry was well past it’s use by date. Needless to say I wasn’t very popular but they wouldn’t be if they were fined by Food Standards Agency.

Perhaps you should have reported them to the FSA.

volver

M&S don't operate in Russia.

Boycotting them would be an empty act.

Agree with what you like, you're still wrong.

Agreed. I will not be boycotting them.

Iam64

Another ??? for you GrannyGravy

And another ? ? ?

volver

Well, of course, everyone is entitled to shop where they like and not buy their swiss rolls in M&S if that's what they decide.

Even if a company was a British icon, and had been good to my family when they worked there, and made fabulous ready meals, if they were contributing to a war and leading to the deaths of children, I'd boycott them. Because that would be the right thing to do.

However boycotting them because of some misplaced idea that they are bolstering Putin's regime, when they are patently not, that's not going to happen.

Still waiting to hear how a third party company operating shops in Russia which don't sell M&S good, is the fault of M&S. But it doesn't seem to matter, does it? Lets just go for the jugular.

Anybody planning on demonstrating outside Subway?

100%

Another ??? for you GrannyGravy

GrannyGravy13

I like to pick my battles/causes, sorry this is not one of them.

My local M & S Food Hall will get more of my £ due to their charitable donations to Ukrainian causes. Well done M & S ???

???

I like to pick my battles/causes, sorry this is not one of them.

My local M & S Food Hall will get more of my £ due to their charitable donations to Ukrainian causes. Well done M & S ???

They cannot legally extract themselves from the franchise speedily.

volver my very thoughts!

MOnica
My very thoughts.

Yes, that's really funny.

Ha ha.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/subway-boycott-russia-invasion-b2038946.html

Anybody planning on demonstrating outside Subway? Neither the sandwich shop nor the subway. I don’t use either currently.

Well, of course, everyone is entitled to shop where they like and not buy their swiss rolls in M&S if that's what they decide.

Even if a company was a British icon, and had been good to my family when they worked there, and made fabulous ready meals, if they were contributing to a war and leading to the deaths of children, I'd boycott them. Because that would be the right thing to do.

However boycotting them because of some misplaced idea that they are bolstering Putin's regime, when they are patently not, that's not going to happen.

Still waiting to hear how a third party company operating shops in Russia which don't sell M&S good, is the fault of M&S. But it doesn't seem to matter, does it? Lets just go for the jugular.

Anybody planning on demonstrating outside Subway?

Mollygo if any of the organisations I'm in contact with organise a protest outside M&S I will probably be there.❤️

Thanks henetha and nadateturbe I agree they are. I also think it's important that we stand in solidarity with Ukraine and if 5 of their MPs think it will do some good (even if it's only a signal, virtue or not) I'm going to do as they ask.

Mollygo if any of the organisations I'm in contact with organise a protest outside M&S I will probably be there.