Unilever Indonesia Claims Biggest Boycott Comes From Padang, Aceh
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8 February 2024 16:29 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Director of PT Unilever Indonesia (Unilever) Benjie Yap revealed the impact of the boycott aimed at products or companies affiliated with Israel. Benji said that the impact of the Unilever boycott was most felt in two cities: Padang and Aceh.
"We identified the areas and shops that were most affected. I went to Padang, the area that was most negatively affected, and Aceh to see firsthand what the impact was like," said Benjie in the company's financial performance report on Wednesday.
Benjie said the boycott's impact began to be felt from mid-November to December 2023. "In November and December, the impact of a shift in sentiment caused by the geopolitical situation put our year-end domestic sales at minus 5.2 percent," he said.
He said this negative sentiment began to increase due to the fatwa issued by MUI (Indonesian Ulema Council) last November. Hoaxes and incorrect information also reinforced this sentiment.
However, he claimed Unilever had made several efforts to reduce this negative sentiment.
"The first action we took last November was to overcome various hoaxes and false information. Colleagues at Unilever have done a lot to ensure that consumers know through influencers that various information has been corrected," he said.
Unilever, he said, also worked with the community and religious figures to restore negative sentiment in each region.
"I want to remind you that Unilever Indonesia has served consumers for over 90 years. Our products are made, distributed, and sold by Indonesians. They have also been certified halal by the MUI, as well as the Ministry of Religious Affairs," he said.
For information, MUI previously recommended Muslims avoid transactions with products affiliated with Israel or supporting Israeli aggression in Palestine.
YOHANES MAHARSO | AMELIA RAHIMA
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