Spanish trade union calls for end to Danone boycott
The union says thousands of jobs depend on the multinational company throughout the nation.
The ongoing political crisis in the country saw the region of Catalonia declaring independence, leading to the imposition of direct rule from Spain’s national government.
The crisis has led to calls for the boycott of Catalan products in the rest of Spain.
Not just in Barcelona
As Danone has its Spanish headquarters, and an R&D center, in the Catalan city of Barcelona, calls have been made for a boycott of Danone goods in the rest of Spain.
However, the company also has production plants and staff in Madrid, Asturias and Valencia, which supply more than 40,000 stores and more than 11m consumers across the country, with a portfolio of more than 150 products.
The union emphasized that Danone products are manufactured throughout Spain, in both its dairy and waters divisions, and has called for an immediate cessation of any form of boycott or promotion of a boycott that puts Danone's normal marketing of products in the entire country at risk.
Other multinationals affected
On Twitter, there are calls from both sides of the divide to boycott Catalan goods and, conversely, Spanish goods – this extends worldwide as users take sides.
Other companies with dairy connections, including Unilever and Nestlé, are also being subjected to calls for a boycott of products from Catalonia, although other trade unions have also pointed out the potential damage to the country as a whole – and not just Catalonia – from such actions.
