Stand up to the bully - buy British!

Silverbrooks

Chicago-bsed Mondolez own a lot of familar brands including Halls cough sweets, Toblerone, Philadelphia cheese, Maynard’s Bassett’s.

Mondolez have a bad record in terms of child slavery and palm oil deforestation and carried on trading with Russia long after other companies pulled out. Chief executive of Mondelez, Dirk Van de Put, claimed that investors “do not morally care” if the company continues to do business in Russia.

In May 2024, the European Commission imposed a fine on Mondelez of €337.5 million for anti-competitive practices and for abusing its dominant market position in breach of antitrust laws in the European Union (EU), including illegally blocking cross-border sales of chocolate, cookies, and coffee products between EU countries, thereby preventing retailers from sourcing products from EU countries where prices were lower.

It’s a pretty lousy company all round.

They sound horrendous!

Chocolatelovinggran

I stand corrected Allira. I will act on this information.

What chocolate can we eat?

Chocolatelovinggran

I stand corrected Allira. I will act on this information.

Yes, I stopped buying it a while ago because of the promises made to Bristol people that the factory there would not be shut down, then it was immediately after Kraft acquired Cadburys.

Chicago-bsed Mondolez own a lot of familar brands including Halls cough sweets, Toblerone, Philadelphia cheese, Maynard’s Bassett’s.

Mondolez have a bad record in terms of child slavery and palm oil deforestation and carried on trading with Russia long after other companies pulled out. Chief executive of Mondelez, Dirk Van de Put, claimed that investors “do not morally care” if the company continues to do business in Russia.

In May 2024, the European Commission imposed a fine on Mondelez of €337.5 million for anti-competitive practices and for abusing its dominant market position in breach of antitrust laws in the European Union (EU), including illegally blocking cross-border sales of chocolate, cookies, and coffee products between EU countries, thereby preventing retailers from sourcing products from EU countries where prices were lower.

It’s a pretty lousy company all round.

The British are very , very good at marketing medical services like BUPA, Specsavers etc. They market these very well over here, far outstripping any US companies and good for them. They should have kept Cadburys. Much better product than the nasty flavours produced by the US. Maybe they could buy that and Kraft back ? Can’t beat British cheese, we seek it out here together with French products.

I stand corrected Allira. I will act on this information.

Green and Blacks was sold to Cadbury years ago, then Kraft Foods, now Mondelēz International.

Casdon

growstuff

Do you have a Microsoft operating system? Have you used Google in the last week? If so, switch off your computer right now!

I think this is more about changing the things you can, not an out and out boycott. Technology is just not available unless it has US or Asia involved somewhere, so it’s not really feasible to boycott it - but there are thousands of things that we buy where there are alternative sources.

If the issue here is tariffs, people need to switch their spending from American-imported goods to those which British manufacturers will find it more difficult to export to America.

I don't drink whisky and can't afford a luxury car. I'm not going to support British pharma by taking medications I don't need and I have no need for a JCB. I don't actually buy much tinned or processed food. I'm not going to give up my Microsoft OS, stop Googling or boycott every company which uses Oracle. I really don't think I'm going to be much help in this campaign.

Saw taste tests on chocolate. Lindt came out first, Aldi second and Hotel Chocolat last. Dark chocolate is my thing. I gave up Cadbury years ago when they were sold off and the recipe changed.

For a treat I use small manufacturers in the UK. Expensive but delicious.

* Maremia* - chocolate is my specialist subject!
You may notice that a certain bar calls itself " Cadbury's Dairy Milk" - no mention of chocolate. That's because it doesn't contain enough cocoa solids to be designated chocolate. I don't think that it tastes much of chocolate.
If you want to look at alternatives : expensive- Green and Black, Hotel Chocolat or Tony's Chocoloney. All of these say that they avoid child labour .
I understand that Lindt is European owned.
inexpensive- I believe that Lidl and Aldi's chocolate is made in Europe.
The above do taste if chocolate.
If I am ever on Mastermind, you can guess my chosen specialism...

growstuff

Do you have a Microsoft operating system? Have you used Google in the last week? If so, switch off your computer right now!

I think this is more about changing the things you can, not an out and out boycott. Technology is just not available unless it has US or Asia involved somewhere, so it’s not really feasible to boycott it - but there are thousands of things that we buy where there are alternative sources.

growstuff

Do you have a Microsoft operating system? Have you used Google in the last week? If so, switch off your computer right now!

Yep!

There is no way I am giving up any tech or streaming services especially with the school holidays beginning today.

I cannot abide Costa or Starbucks, have used Cafe Nero for years and years, far superior.

As for McDonald’s I have taken the GC there for a treat in school holidays and will probably do so again, saying that they all like the small independent coffee/tea shop/bistros we have locally.

Fortunately my favourite of favourites wine is French (Whispering Ange, Chateau d’Esclans, Provence) very rarely do we buy or drink American wine, DH and AC prefer European beer to Budweiser and the like.

We are coming into English Asparagus, Jersey Royals along with all the local spring veggies, fish etc., so let’s go for home ground produce wherever possible.

Do you have a Microsoft operating system? Have you used Google in the last week? If so, switch off your computer right now!

Luckygirl3

Maybe gransnetters might like to spearhead a campaign for British produce aisles and sections of their online shopping sites.

They'd just get round it by claiming that produce is produced in the UK, even though the company producing it is American-owned. The people you'd be hurting are those working in the British-based factories.

Allira

Luckygirl3

I often think about starting a national campaign, but not sure how I might go about it. Any ideas?

Waitrose has its own farms.

I did buy Duchy honey the other week (it was on offer), imagining it was from Gloucestershire, but it was from Romania.
So-called Welsh honey turned out to be produce of non-EU countries (no, I don't think they meant Wales).

The King owns property in Romania I think.. he certainly visits it regularly.. it's probably very pure honey

I just think that it would be very simple to do online - just have a British Produce section.

Luckygirl3

Maybe gransnetters might like to spearhead a campaign for British produce aisles and sections of their online shopping sites.

Well, Lidl does a Greek Week, an Italian week so why not a British week?

Look for the Union Jack.

The Canadians appear to have managed it. It must be within the wit of us to do likewise.

Maybe gransnetters might like to spearhead a campaign for British produce aisles and sections of their online shopping sites.

Luckygirl3

I often think about starting a national campaign, but not sure how I might go about it. Any ideas?

Waitrose has its own farms.

I did buy Duchy honey the other week (it was on offer), imagining it was from Gloucestershire, but it was from Romania.
So-called Welsh honey turned out to be produce of non-EU countries (no, I don't think they meant Wales).

I often think about starting a national campaign, but not sure how I might go about it. Any ideas?

Luckygirl3

Long ago I tried to persuade our British supermarkets to have a British produce section, both instore and online, so that those wishing to buy British can do so with ease. It did not generate much enthusiasm from them!

I really like that idea.. Luckygirl.. I imagine it would be far more popular nowdays..

Too late, I've just taken my Seven Seas cod liver oil capsule today.

Article in todays paper written by a Tesla owner.

What a dilemma!

He would never have bought a Tesla if he had known how Musk would have behaved, he now can’t sell it because it is almost worthless, and is embarrassed to drive around in it.

Why do these notions of boycott focus on food?

Proctor and Gamble and Johnson and Johnson are US companies.

Are people going to boycott: Pampers, Olay, Pantene, Ariel, Bold, Daz, Fairy, Lenor, Febreze, Flash, Head & Shoulders, Oral B, Fixadent, Vicks, Seven Seas, Braun, Gillette, Pantene, Always, Benadryl, Benylin, Imodium, Sudafed, Acuvue, Aveeno, Band-Aid, Johnson’s Baby, Listerine, Neutrogena, Nicorette and many many more?