After suggesting that sending migrants to Rwanda was “ugly,” “inhumane,” and “racist,” Ben & Jerry’s was urged to stick to making ice cream.
After encouraging customers to join a planned protest march against the policy, the company was accused of ‘virtue-signaling.’
Despite the fact that it is owned by a multinational that has been chastised for continuing to sell its products in Russia, this is the case.
In a series of messages on its Twitter feed, Ben & Jerry’s wrote: ‘Listen up folks ’cos we need to talk about Priti Patel’s “ugly” Rwanda plan and what this means.’
It went on to label the policy to ‘forcibly send people to a country thousands of miles away’ as ‘cruel and morally bankrupt’.
Urging customers to ‘stand with refugees and fight against these inhumane plans’, it promoted posters advertising protest rallies this weekend and shared links to coverage of the policy in the Left-leaning Guardian newspaper.
It also featured a blog from Detention Action, one of the organizations working to stop the first plane carrying foreign nationals to the African country.
The position, however, appeared to backfire, as the thread was bombarded with comments asking the company to “stick to selling ice cream.”
One Twitter user blasted Ben & Jerry’s of ‘pathetic virtue signaling,’ vowing to switch to Haagen-Dazs, a rival luxury brand. Another person chastised the company for “using their wealth to meddle in our democratically elected government.”
Others pointed out that a firm that profits from the sale of unhealthy, sugary treats is hardly in a position to claim moral high ground.
Ben & Jerry’s, which was founded in Vermont in the 1970s, has long advocated for topics such as equality and climate change.
Unilever’s board have continued to be permitted to take their own political positions under the conditions of the company’s purchase in 2000. However, it ran into trouble earlier this year when it accused US President Joe Biden of ‘fanning the flames of war’ by sending extra US soldiers to Europe in reaction to Ukraine’s invasion.
When companies lacked “expertise or credibility,” Unilever CEO Alan Jope said it was “better to remain out of the debate.”
Scott Benton, Conservative MP for Blackpool South, called Ben & Jerry’s new intervention “bizarre and inaccurate,” and said the company should have learned its lesson by now. ‘The last thing voters want is an awakened American president.’
Unilever was criticised in March for defying calls to pull products including Carte D’Or and Magnum ice creams from Russian shops. However, it has criticised the ‘senseless’ invasion of Ukraine.
Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever were both approached for comment.