”I’m the last person who would allow the Israeli flag to be taken off. If that were the case, I would have flown over to Zara and gone wild there,” Zara (Israel) general manager Ofer Carmel told “Globes” today, in response to a e-mail chain letter calling for a consumer boycott against Zara.
The call came after Israel’s name and flag were removed from the Spanish chain’s products. The chain letter alleges that Zara wants to lower its profile concerning its involvement with Israel.
The company recently removed the Israeli flag from the tags, attaching instead a sticker with the flag and the price.
A “Globes” investigation has revealed that the Israeli flag was removed in other countries as well. Carmel claims that due to the chain’s growth, the large number of countries makes it difficult to manufacture the tags and that “the tag has become more expensive that the piece of clothing to which it is attached.” He added that following the introduction of the euro in Europe, the tags convert local prices to the euro.
”Globes”: Does the Israeli flag appear on the tag along the local flag in countries such as Bahrain, Lebanon and Kuwait?
Carmel: ”I don’t know, because I haven’t been there.”
These countries aren’t really relevant for the Israeli consumer, but their flags do appear on tags here. Did you ask Zara for the reason?
”No. But I have some information that says that in countries in which the euro has become legal tender, there’s a separate tag with the specific country’s flag, as well as the flags of other relevant countries for the purpose of price comparison. In addition, the name Israel appears on Zara shoppping bags all over the world.”
The Zara chain is owned by Spanish company Inditex.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 7 October, 2001 Unilever to transfer Lipton Tea concession to