For those of us who were skeptical if the secular consumer boycott (cherem) against companies bearing the badat'z eida hechsher on its products would be effective, there are signs indicating that it has been noticed.
According to Globes, Nestle, who recently made a strategic decision to switch all of its products to be certified under the hechsher of the Eida, has started a new campaign for a line of ice cream and they don't mention the hechsher at all, unlike previous campaigns that mention, or point to, the Eida very boldly.
Those running the campaign are taking it to indicate that their boycott has been noticed and felt, and Nestle is trying to get around it by not being so open about who gives the hechsher.
I, for one, was skeptical that this boycott campaign would be effective, and the Eida dismissed it completely (at least publicly) as being nothing to be concerned about, but it looks like I was wrong about it...
On another, related, note, could this be part of the reason why the Eida changed its tune at the end of this past week and started calling for no hafganot in Jerusalem, no youth at hafganot, banning the "sikrikim" and other pronouncements to try to tone things down? Perhaps they are starting to feel the pressure, not just socially but also financially? hmmmm
ORRRRRRR, it could just be that this new line of products does not carry the Eida hechsher... who knows?
You may recall that the ban came the the day after a motorcyclist was injured when protesters pushed a garbage bin into the street.
ReplyDeleteThe new line of products, available in Bet Shemesh as well, does not carry the Eidah Chareidit Hechsher.
ReplyDelete[By the way, the previous commenter (called "I eat Eidah (etc.)...") happens to be way off base, the "ban" against the Eidah Chareidit Hechsher had been in effect long before the recent motorcycle incident.]