French retailer Monoprix has declined a request to remove Ahava products from its stores after receiving a request from the BDS movement.
The supermarket had received a letter from Claudine Vegas, head of the Collectif Palestine Libre (Free Palestine Collective) asking it to remove Ahava products from its stores. The group lobbies for the boycott of products made in the West Bank.
Monoprix wrote back to Vegas, declining the request. It stated that Ahava products comply with French law. Baptise Peslouan, a representative for the retailer, said: “To date, to our knowledge, the DGCCRF (General Directorate of Competition, Consumption and Repression of Fraud) has submitted no suits against our suppliers, and we have not been informed of any court decision against them.”
However, Peslouan added: “In the event that a court decision would be imposed on a product or supplier, we will not fail to carry out the consequences in compliance with French regulations.” Vegas has replied to Peslouan, asking Monoprix to reconsider its decision.
The European Union is expected to announce its decision on the labelling of products manufactured in the West Bank and sold in Europe later this week.
Ahava products are produced in Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem, in the West Bank. The brand has been the subject of a boycott for several years, which eventually led to the closure of its London store. Earlier this year reports that the company was considering relocating were widely circulated. The brand declined to comment on Monoprix’s decision.
