(...)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 , 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 , print edition as 'French Retailer Shuts Ukraine Outlets, Stays in Russia'
