Carrefour unveils PR response to China crisis

SHANGHAI - Carrefour has launched a print advertising campaign in response to consumer boycott that continues to gather pace on the mainland.

The French supermarket chain is working with MindShare China to run an ad in at least three newspapers, which will extol Carrefour’s social and commercial efforts in China since 2001. The ad also includes comments made by Carrefour CEO Jose-Luis Duran at a press conference in Paris.

“The reason why The International Olympic Committee has given China the opportunity to organise the Olympic, is to let China to showcase the result of its development in the past 30 years,” says Duran. “I personally can see the proof of the changes in China, it is also these changes which gave the opportunity for Carrefour and our partners to develop and grow in the past 13-plus years in China.”

“Carrefour Group and its subsidiaries have not given any direct or indirect assistance to any political or religious organisations, whether in China or anywhere else. We have never done such thing and will ever do such thing in future.”

“I hope everyone could try to calm down now, and let the remaining preparations of the Olympics carry on in a peaceful atmosphere, as the success of the Beijing Olympic is beneficial to all.”

Five different versions of the ad are running in the Xinmin Evening News, Shanghai Morning Post and Oriental Morning Post.