(...)Waldemar Kaminski, head of the Warsaw branch of Poland’s Green Party who attended the protest Saturday, said that Leroy Merlin risks a consumer backlash. “They can stay in Russia, but then in Poland they will be considered collaborators,” he said.
From a purely business standpoint, Mr. Kaminski said, brand damage in markets like Poland and Ukraine might offset short-term gains in Russia, whose economy is shrinking under sanctions.
In a guerrilla tactic against the company, activists download, print out and paste on Leroy Merlin items in its Polish outlets authentic-looking stickers designed by Polish artist Bartlomiej Kielbowicz. “Device for sweeping away the sense of guilt,” says the sticker for brooms. “Container for cadavers – Leroy Merlin backs the Russian aggression” goes the one for large trash cans.
Mr. Kielbowicz said that, after thousands of downloads, local-language versions of his stickers have also appeared in Leroy Merlin stores in France.(...)
text by Yaroslav Trofimov April 12, 2022
Appeared in the Apr 13, 2022 ,Wall Street Journal print edition as 'French Retailer Shuts Ukraine Outlets, Stays in Russia'
From a purely business standpoint, Mr. Kaminski said, brand damage in markets like Poland and Ukraine might offset short-term gains in Russia, whose economy is shrinking under sanctions.
In a guerrilla tactic against the company, activists download, print out and paste on Leroy Merlin items in its Polish outlets authentic-looking stickers designed by Polish artist Bartlomiej Kielbowicz. “Device for sweeping away the sense of guilt,” says the sticker for brooms. “Container for cadavers – Leroy Merlin backs the Russian aggression” goes the one for large trash cans.
Mr. Kielbowicz said that, after thousands of downloads, local-language versions of his stickers have also appeared in Leroy Merlin stores in France.(...)
text by Yaroslav Trofimov April 12, 2022
Appeared in the Apr 13, 2022 ,Wall Street Journal print edition as 'French Retailer Shuts Ukraine Outlets, Stays in Russia'
