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Arabia
Middle East: Boycott of Danish Goods "out of control"
2006-02-15
The boycott of Danish products in Saudi Arabia, following the publication of a series of drawings featuring Prophet Mohammed was out of control, according to major food distributors and shopping mall owners. In the three weeks since the boycott started, the network of relations between importers, manufacturers and supermarkets has reached a complete standstill. Abdullah Saleh al Athim, the general director of al al Athim Trading Company, revealed that the boycott is no longer bound by personal decisions taken by certain companies. Officials at Danish food manufacturers have indicated their products have lost all their share of the market, which would have long-term damage to their companies.

A spokeswoman for Arla Foods indicated the Danish company had lost $20million US since consumers across the Middle East and North Africa have decided to shun its products, which represents between 8 and 10% of its annual revenue. She said the company had retained its 800 employees in Saudi Arabia despite the suspension of work. Talks were currently underway with headquarters to inform them of the losses incurred, totaling $1.8 million US a day. Al Athim indicated that his company had acted, on its own initiative, after the row over the Danish cartoons erupted, and stopped selling Danish products in 70 outlets and terminated new contracts made in conjunction with Saudi importers by recovering all the products stored in warehouses, worth in excess of 260 thousand USD. The total value of products that stopped or cancelled reached $21 million US OR 10% of gross sales.
I look forward to someday being able to boycott Soddy petroleum.
Posted by:Fred

#18  The 2006 growth of Danish exports to the US and Germany has already outstripped Danish exports to the entire Muslim world. Even BEFORE any "Buy Danish" memes.

Suck on it, Achmed.
Posted by: mojo   2006-02-15 17:36  

#17  they aint the ones who invented celibacy :)
Posted by: liberalhawk   2006-02-15 17:26  

#16  The purpose of Islam was to take all the fun out of life. Maybe this explains their obsession with death.
Posted by: SR-71   2006-02-15 17:24  

#15  "Aren't all cookies already made with "animal grease", which includes a large part of pork fat?"

Uh, no. All the muslims have to do to avoid this trick is only buy danish cookies that have the "kosher - dairy" label. :)
Posted by: liberalhawk   2006-02-15 17:24  

#14  I specifically bought Carlsburg beer yesterday. Of course, muslims aren't supposed to drink any alcohol because allan says so but every little purchase helps.
Posted by: danking_70   2006-02-15 16:23  

#13  Interesting point, Zen. Thanks.

I hate it that first the Moslems are trying to intimidate the West into submitting to their religious values, AND to get Denmark out of the UN Security Coucil (coming up soon), and NOW they're trying to control Western financial interests through a boycott. Fight back and buy Danish products.


(Danish, Swedish, Norwegian Gifts/Products)

http://www.ingebretsens.com/

http://www.genuinescandinavia.com/

http://solvanggifts.com/

http://www.scandinaviansouth.com/

http://www.hemslojd.com/

http://www.swedensfinest.com/

http://www.andersonbutik.com

http://www.scandinavian-touch.com/

(Danish Troll Beads)

http://www.lundtrading.com/

http://www.smalltreasureslp.com/

Danish cheese, Danish Butter Cookies (almost any grocery store).

You know what to do . . . :)
Posted by: ex-lib   2006-02-15 16:11  

#12  Guess the arabs were fond of modern furniture.

Try cheese, milk, butter (all among the world's finest, as Denmark's pastures are top notch), cereals and fish products. Also textiles, electronics and consumer electronics, wind power generators (a world leader), machinery and transportation all feature prominently in Danish exports.

Sidebar: Copenhagen, in Danish is spelled "København". Derived from the phrase "købmand's havn", it refers to (køb = buy - mand = man - havn = harbor) being a merchant's harbor. Twice destroyed by the Hanseatic League, the Danes successfully repelled a third attack (1428) and Copehagen (third syllable rhymes with "hay") went on to become one of the most prosperous ports of call in Europe.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-02-15 15:07  

#11  Actually Danish pharmaceuticals are big in the Mid East. Big Pharaoh has a story about a frantic diabetic who discovered her pharmacy will not be carrying insulin because its from Denmark. other brands are not as pure or have bad side effects.

This brings up a question: Can an Arab claim refugee status in EU if they claim they need Danish drugs?

Al
Posted by: Frozen Al   2006-02-15 14:49  

#10  I'd buy danish.
Posted by: Cruting Wherese8001   2006-02-15 13:44  

#9  Neglect to mention that they are made with pork fat.

Aren't all cookies already made with "animal grease", which includes a large part of pork fat? I think pork is present in one form or an another in a great majority of industrially-manufactured food products, and some medecine (the gelatin is partially made of pork, insuline is, or used to be, extracted from pigs,...).
Posted by: anonymous5089   2006-02-15 11:32  

#8  I don't understand what this article is saying.

Al Athim indicated that his company had acted, on its own initiative, after the row over the Danish cartoons erupted, and stopped selling Danish products in 70 outlets and terminated new contracts made in conjunction with Saudi importers by recovering all the products stored in warehouses, worth in excess of 260 thousand USD.

Are they saying that Al Athim simply used the opportunity to seize the Danish company's goods?

The first paragraph almost sounds like the Danes are saying they are attempting to get out of their contracts with the Saudis.

I've heard, but don't know if it is true, that the boycott was a flop compared to the Buy-Danish campaign which was a huge success. Is this article just propaganda attempting to show the Danish co's losses from the Arab world when in reality the Danes are trying to get out of the contracts in Saudi Arabia? Are the Danes trying to get their goods back from warehouses in Saudi Arabia to sell in America and Europe but the Saudi's won't let them?

I don't understand what this article is saying :-(
Posted by: 2b   2006-02-15 11:30  

#7  cheese, butter, etc I think
Posted by: liberalhawk   2006-02-15 10:41  

#6  Everytime I hear somebody call for a Danish anti-boycott, they point to Denmark's ham and beer products. WTF were they selling to the muslims?
Posted by: BH   2006-02-15 10:07  

#5  Manufacturers usually get around problems like this by modifying packaging, setting up front daughter companies, etc., to confuse the boycotters.

They'll learn. However, if they figure they are leaving the country for good, I would recommend putting out one last product: some sweet cookies that are priced so low that they are a steal. Neglect to mention that they are made with pork fat.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2006-02-15 09:15  

#4  New MSM crisis:

Cheese lines are unbearably long and getting even longer.


...whos fault is it
Posted by: RD   2006-02-15 08:24  

#3  Of course this is good news for the Philip Morris
food division who are preparing to pick up the extra
market. Up to 20 % in some cheese lines.
Posted by: Classer   2006-02-15 01:35  

#2  I'm really surprised that the Danish made enough sales to the middle east to notice the boycott. Guess the arabs were fond of modern furniture.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2006-02-15 01:01  

#1  Fred that day can't come soon enough.
Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom   2006-02-15 00:29  

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