ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
It's time for Ben and Jerry's to go organic
Companies like Ben & Jerry’s, Starbucks and Kirtland Organic (produced by Aurora for Walmart and Costco) misrepresent their brands as being healthy, sustainable and socially responsible.
In fact, these companies support a filthy dairy industry that relies on millions of acres of GMO animal feed, unleashes tons of dangerous pesticides into soils and waterways, is cruel to animals, and produces unhealthy dairy products.
It’s time for these brands to go organic.
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A number of our supporters wrote recently to complain about the cozy deal between MoveOn.org and Ben & Jerry’s. It’s a deal that lets the ice cream maker polish its image (and boost sales) by aligning its brand with progressive causes—even though the Unilever-owned company is responsible for the use of massive amounts of toxic chemicals that have all but ruined Vermont’s water.
These supporters (and others) were referring to emails to MoveOn members from "Ben & Jerry" with subject lines like “We're worried” and “Stop Trump. Eat Ice Cream.”
But let’s be clear. This is free advertising for Ben & Jerry’s, a brand that masquerades as “socially responsible” when it isn’t. And it’s a great example of subliminal advertising, designed to convey this message: “Hey, we’re just like you. We care.”
The marketing gurus at Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s know full well that many consumers are willing to spend more for products sold by “socially responsible” companies. According to a recent report, Unilever's “Sustainable Living” brands are growing 46 percent faster than rest of business.
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FINLAND, Minn. – The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) today called for an international boycott of Unilever-owned Ben & Jerry’s in conjunction with World Water Day, March 22.
“Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever, spend millions on marketing to create the false image that the Vermont-based brand is a champion of the environment, when in fact Ben & Jerry’s supports an industrial dairy system that is responsible for a water pollution crisis in Vermont,” said Ronnie Cummins, OCA’s international director.
“The theme for this year’s World Water Day is ‘Nature for Water’—exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century.’ Today we once again call on Ben & Jerry’s to convert its dairy supply chain to 100-percent organic and pasture-raised to help end the dumping of hundreds of thousands of pounds of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers into Vermont’s water supply,” Cummins said.
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A big “thank you” this week to the Tucson, Arizona, Organic Consumers Association members who convinced their local co-op, Food Conspiracy, to stop selling Ben & Jerry’s.
Several of our supporters emailed Food Conspiracy’s store manager and its board of directors. Within hours, the co-op posted a message on Facebook that they would be discontinuing the brand in their store.
Food Conspiracy joins other co-ops who are listening to their owner/customers, including Moscow Food Co-Op in Moscow, Idaho; New Pioneer Food Co-Op in Coralville, Iowa; and Ypsilanti Food Co-Op and River Street Bakery in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
What’s Ben & Jerry’s been up to while consumers have been working hard to get Ben & Jerry’s off store shelves?
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