Somewhat OT, Fred.
Britain could lose many millions of pounds worth of business in France because of a possible consumer boycott prompted by the Iraq war, according to a new poll. More than one in 10 French consumers are less likely to buy British as a result of Prime Minister Tony Blair's hardline stance, the poll suggests. Only 1 in 100 French are more likely to buy British because of the war, according to the survey by PR company Weber Shandwick, which also revealed anti-British sentiment in Germany.
The survey found that 10 per cent of German consumers said they were less likely to buy British - although this was balanced by seven per cent who said they were more likely. According to Government figures, the UK exported goods worth just over £18 billion to France and over £21 billion to Germany in 2002.
US companies could be hit even harder than those from the UK, the survey conducted between April 11 and April 13 - after the last phase of the war - indicates. The survey revealed that 17 per cent of French people surveyed said they were less likely to buy American, balanced by four per cent who said they were more likely. Interviews with British consumers found 11 per cent claiming to be less likely to buy American, compared with four per cent claiming to be more likely. In Germany, 13 per cent said they were less likely to buy American, against nine per cent who said they were more likely.
Colin Byrne, joint chief executive of Weber Shandwick in the UK, said: "In France and Germany, it may well be that the anti-war stance of political leaders and mainstream media has filtered down to consumers. British opinion is less hostile [sic!!!] to the war, but what's striking is that in general terms British consumers seem to have become politicised. "Of the three countries we examined, the British are far more likely to consider leveraging their purchasing power to make a point about an issue that concerns them." |