TURKISH SUPERMARKET CHAINS BOYCOTT FRENCH GOODS
FreshPlaza, Netherlands
Oct 17 2006
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan declared that he did not support
any boycott against the French goods, yet some Turkish supermarket
chains started economic boycott against the French goods.
The passing of the controversial Armenian genocide denial bill in the
French parliament has prompted strong reactions in Turkish business
circles. Kiler and Afra, two big Turkish market chains, yesterday
declared that they will never sell French goods. Many French products
were removed from these market shelves.
Carrefour, French-Turkish market company, has also been one of the
boycott targets after the French Armenian bill. The number of customers
visited Carrefour has radically decreased in last two days.
The parking areas of the market mostly empty yesterday.
Some of the Turkish political parties list the names of the
French products not to buy. Turkish Labour Party (Isci Partisi),
leftist-nationalist, called all Turks inside and abroad not to buy
French goods and services.
Some of the Turkish citizens, who were in holiday in Paris, cut short
their holidays to protest France’s attitude in Armenian issue. Gulben
Ergen, Turkish famous singer, was one of these protesters. Ergen
arrived Istanbul yesterday and said that the reason is the French
Armenian bill. Many more Turkish tourists postponed their France
visits.