Chinese consumers are being urged to boycott French retailer Carrefour in response to the protests staged during the Olympic torch relay in Paris.
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Calls to boycott the retailer’s stores from 1 May have been posted on Chinese websites and sent out in text messages and instant messaging services like MSN.
Messages say: “Unite in a boycott of Carrefour. Don’t go to their stores after 1 May.” They accuse Carrefour of backing Tibetan independence and funding the Dalai Lama.
The company has issued a statement stressing its full support for the Olympic Games. The company added that it “never takes a position on political subjects”.
“The information circulating on the Internet that Carrefour is playing a role in China’s internal politics or international relations is false and without foundation,” the company said.
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By GlobalDataCarrefour China could not be reached to comment on the boycott and whether publicity was affecting business. According to state media Xinhua, a survey posted on popular portal Netease.com found 95.4% of almost 44,000 respondents in favour of a boycott of French goods.
Carrefour said 80% of the goods sold in its 122 supermarkets and 280 discount stores in China are Chinese.
Chinese anger has been fuelled by widespread media coverage of a Paris protestor trying to grab the Olympic torch out of the hands of wheelchair-bound torch bearer Jin Jing last week.
