Consumer advocates have called for a boycott of 7-Eleven, the nation’s largest franchise, to protest the business practices of parent company CP All.
An online campaign has called for people not to shop at any 7-Eleven store for five days starting May 7 following criticism of its business practices and the monopolistic grip its agribusiness enjoys over the supply chain, from farms and factories to frozen food and retail stores.
“7-11 May. Let’s teach the big boss. You won’t die if you don’t shop there,” reads the campaign announced by Facebook user Arwin Intrungsi, who claimed consumers should at least teach the company a lesson.
The campaign comes after a series of incidents landed the franchise in hot water with the public.
“It’s five days. You won’t die, and he won’t go out of business because he’s so rich,” Arwin wrote, referring “Mr. CP” Dhanin Chearavanont. “He will at least gain some conscience that doing business must be fair. Don’t take advantage of others. Don’t CP (Copy and Paste.)”
The campaign comes after allegations the company engaged in some unsavory business practices involving the conglomerate’s dealings with a non-CP supplier. According to Thai blogger “Assuming,” the company canceled a large deal it had just signed with “Siam Banana” as soon as the supplier provided the delicious trade secrets to making its “Tokyo Banana” snacks.
Tokyo Banana snacks. Photo: Pantip
CP All dismissed accusations it stole the recipe but said it will only sell Siam Banana’s products at 200 national branches of its Kudsan Bakery instead of its more than 8,000 convenience stores. Meanwhile, as announced last month, 7-Eleven stores will begin selling an identical snack from its “Le Pan” bakery chain.
As for the boycott, many people saw no point.
“CP won’t go out of the business. The people who will get in trouble are their franchise owners and store employees,” an anonymous Pantip user wrote.
Others said the company did face competition already.
“Monopoly? If you don’t like 7-Eleven, there are Family Mart, Max Value, or Lawson,” Pang10 wrote. “If you don’t like True Move, there are AIS and DTAC. Consumers can make choices.”
Others pointed out the potential consequences to all those store dogs.
“If you don’t walk into 7-Eleven, the dogs won’t feel the air conditioning blow out from the door. Poor dogs,” Kangsom wrote.
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