The Vote Leave campaign has come under fire from Unilever and several other UK companies for using their names and logos on pro-Brexit leaflets distributed to UK homeowners.
The leaflet, which is thought to have been sent to millions of homes in the UK, features a section outlining whether jobs would be at risk from leaving the EU. Unilever, Airbus and GE were listed on the leaflet alongside Toyota, Nissan and Vauxhall, which are all openly in the Remain camp.
Unilever confirmed with Cosmetics Business that it has submitted a complaint to the Electoral Commission concerning the use of its name on the leaflet, which wrongly implies it is in support of an exit from the EU. Some of the other companies featured, such as Nissan, are reported to be considering taking legal action. The Electoral Commission is an independent body that regulates the electoral system in the UK including the upcoming referendum due to take place on 23 June.
The Independent reported that Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, said: ““The use of our company name and trademark in this way is a clear attempt to mislead the British people. Unilever does not support Vote Leave and does not advocate leaving the European Union, and never has. We believe that for jobs and investment the United Kingdom is far better off remaining a member of the EU.”
Unilever recently issued a statement to its employees that confirmed its position on the upcoming referendum and outlined some of the key reasons behind why it is encouraging voters to back Remain.