Saturday 17 May 2008

Spectator 180th Anniversary Blog
 

The latest culture as recommended by our staff

Peter Hoskin

Pete suggests


I'll do as Pret does, and boycott Pret!

Wednesday, 23rd January 2008

Via Samizdata, it seems Pret a Manger has a pretty unpleasant agenda.

Pret appears to believe in a crude form of protrectionism:

Wherever possible we buy British. 
Pret thus believes in keeping wealth in the hands of those already wealthy. 

It's through trade and prosperity that the poor escape poverty. Pret wants to shut that door and keep the poor in their place.

And to make it worse, they dress it up in all sorts of posturing drivel:

They are, of course, free to decide from whom to buy their supplies - just as I am free to decide whether to buy their products. 

And since Pret makes an active decision to boycott developing world farmers, I'm going to make an active decision to boycott Pret. 

Blogs: Clive Davis | Melanie Phillips | Americano | Coffee House | Trading Floor

Actions: Print this article  |  Email to a friend  |  Permalink  |   Comments (4)

Subscribe now

Post this entry to:   del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Comments

Post a comment


Your comment:*

Your name:*

Your email address:*
(We won't publish this)

*Required information

Please click the button only once - your comment will not be published immediately

Max Kaye

January 23rd, 2008 8:36pm

I agree with you on this on - it's sanctimonious tosh. Next time I pass by a Pret I'll pop in and tell the staff why they've lost my custom and ask them to pass it on the their manager. Companies are supposed to like feedback. Let's give it to them.

Huw Thornton

January 23rd, 2008 8:41pm

Too right, Stephen. Worldwide food transportation means that there is something like a single market for food - policies like Pret's reinforce comfortable economic delusions and shafts farmers scratching a living. Anyone who supports their position ought to eat only produce grown in their own gardens/window boxes. (Or smoke it, given the propensities of the self-righteous urban middle class).

James Schneider

January 28th, 2008 5:06pm

I'm fully with you. I've added them to my list of companies I am boycotting so that the price mechanism can reflect my values as well as my tastes.

lewis cash

February 13th, 2008 12:10pm

their chicken is all from Brazil

Stephen Pollard's Blog Roll

Oliver Kamm
Politics, economics and culture from the master. Unmissable.

Daniel Finkelstein's Times Comment Central
A daily must-read. 

Tim Worstall 
Lots of interesting nibbles - and a ruthless swatter of economic gibberish.

Harry's Place
Must-read left of centre blog from writers who understand the threat to the West. 

Thought Experiments
The peerless Bryan Appleyard's blog.

Opera Chic
An American in Milan, on opera.

Intermezzo
A London-based classical music enthusiast

Jessica Duchen's classical music blog
Does what it says on the tin

Samizdata
Libertarian blog, packed every day.

Norm's blog
The thoroughly sensible thoughts of renowned left-wing academic Norman Geras, Professor of Government at Manchester. And cricket, too.

Public Interest
Peter Briffa's inimitable take on The Yazzmonster and other assorted demons.

Reform
The public sector reform group; their website is an invaluable source of data and ideas.

Centre for the New Europe
The leading European public policy think tank.

Spectator recommends

Test Drive a Land Rover

Great choice of versatile vehicles for the drive of your life..


Spectator classifieds

UMBRIA

UMBRIA, Niccone Valley.Farmhouse Rental. Newly renovated 400 year old farmhouse, high on the south facing slope of Niccone Valley, on

Cornwall.

AMAZING CORNISH HOUSE previously featured in Vogue Living, available to let during the last 3 weeks of August either on a

City Breaks: PARIS and ROME

PARIS and ROME: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit www.parisreference.com and www.romanreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.