US cheese boycott creates a stink for French

Guardian ^ | 2/13/03 | Jon Henley in Paris

[kattracks]

A French internet cheesemonger who sells most of his camembert and roquefort to Americans has become the first victim of the fast-ripening stink over Iraq currently souring Franco-US relations.

Marc Refabert, the co-founder of fromages.com, which does more than 80% of its business with America, said his company's sales had fallen "substantially" in the face of Paris's steadfast refusal to back Washington's march to war.

"I'm getting inundated with emails from people saying they're not going to buy my products until France changes it's position," he said. "They're showing their patriotism, I guess - you can't argue with them. What good would it do? I'm not a politician."

One email read: "Pam and I have enjoyed ordering from you. But because of the current position your government is taking we are not going to support France in any way."

French customs said it was too early to say whether exports to the US in general had been affected by the crisis.

[Drango]

I'm getting inundated with emails

LOL...I'm thinking you'll get a few more now.

[Mo1]

French customs said it was too early to say whether exports to the US in general had been affected by the crisis.

Not to worry, You'll figure it out soon enough

[RJayneJ]

They haven't begun to feel the backlash that is coming, and that goes for Germany too.

[travelnurse]

Thanks for posting. Best news I've heard all day. LOL

[BubbaJunebug]

Kattracks,
Do you ever go to sleep?...always the first posts of the day:)

[HHFi]

I understand the urge to boycott French products - I'm doing it, too, but since I don't drink wine, eat smelly cheese or watch boring movies, it's not hard - still, I can't help feeling a little sorry for people like this guy. Since he's a businessman and a capitalist, he probably didn't even vote for Chirac, but he's taking the fall. I was feeling just as hostile toward the Germans until I read yesterday that a group of businessmen who hate Gerhard Schroeder had pooled their money and bought a one-way train ticket back to his hometown to present to him as a way of saying, "Resign and go home!" It made me feel a little better to know that not all Germans were as dumb as their leader.

[longjack]

Some Germans see it, already. The link below is in German. It's a pretty good analytical view of the disaster in the making Germany's that isolationist policy is causing.

I'm off to work, so I can't translate it now. Let's hope for input from other German readers. There a a lot around.

Readers of German: Manger Magazine..Suffering Under Berlin's Iraq Politics

longjack

[longjack]

Oops, should be "Manager Magazine". Sorry

longjack

[Darheel]

'I'm doing it, too'

Me too, I'm taking a bath every day to protest the French. Maybe even two baths, because I'm so cheesed off at them

[McGavin999]

Good, I hope that BMW owners are writing to BMW to tell them they won't be making any future purchases. It's important to be polite, tell them you've always enjoyed their products, but you simply can't in good conscience support a country that does not support us in a fight for our lives.