Unilever named ‘international sponsor of war’ by Ukraine

UnmeltedByRain@lemmy.world to Ukraine@sopuli.xyz – 168 points –
Unilever named ‘international sponsor of war’ by Ukraine
theguardian.com

Here's a list of their products in case anyone wants to stop buying them. Looks like I'm buying generic q-tips from now on.

https://www.unileverusa.com/brands/

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Ah you mean Unilever, the company that was caught dumping mercury in a densely populated part of India? Or the same one responsible for deforestation of Indonesia and using a palm oil supplier that used child labor? Or perhaps the same Unilever that is one of the top 10 polluters on the planet, which lobbied in India and Philippines to prevent a law banning single use plastic? Or maybe the same Unilever that had salmonella contamination in their products and refused to release information about which product dates were affected? Or the Unilever that was accused of price fixing in Europe and was later fined for the practice? Or maybe the same Unilever that pressured Cosmo magazine to fire a Sri Lankan editor for refusing to promote their skin whiteners? Or maybe the same Unilever that ordered security to fire rubber bullets and pepper spray at striking workers in South America? The same Unilever whose founder used Belgium's Congolese workers as forced laborers for nearly 40 years to create his empire (if you're not sure why this is an issue, just look up Belgium's exploits in Congo)?

Oh, it's all the same Unilever? The same criminal parasites that cooperated with an imperial empire to "employ" slaves that were being genocided doesn't have any issue with doing business with a country that is using Imperialism to genocide another group of people today? Well color me shocked...

Jesus Christ....I'm assuming the CEO wears a black helmet and has a trap door in his lair.

"Our 400 brands around the world are on a global mission to do good."

I think you’re thinking of Unilever’s hate filled, evil twin-brother, Loonyeva…

/s

Awful, absolutely awful.

I've bought a Dove product by accident sometime in the past, but it looks like the garbage they produce is easily avoidable alltogether.

Yeah, Ben & Jerry's is one I buy sometimes, but there are plenty of ice cream options so no biggie.

I guess we know who controls the one lever of power there. A Unilever, if you will.

Well fuck. Anyone know a good SLS-free alternative to Dove body wash? Everything I can find is like 3x more expensive. I’ll take the hit but damn.

Companies need to stop putting that shit in their soap and toothpaste anyway. Too many people are sensitive to it and it’s not necessary at all.

I also can't use products with SLS. I really like Yardley London soap, but it's not cheap and I'm not sure if it comes as a body wash. Smells great though.

Depends on your location, but I use SLS-free bodywash and I buy it at those drug store style shops like Rossman in EU, Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada or Walgreens/CVS in the US. There is usually some sort of store brand that offers it and it will be relatively cheap. Another option is to get those super organic soap bars with like absolutely nothing in them.

From the article:

"The company said that if it were to abandon its business and brands in Russia, “they would be appropriated – and then operated – by the Russian state”. Unilever said it had not been able to find a way to sell the business that “avoids the Russian state potentially gaining further benefit, and which safeguards our people”. It said in that light, continuing to run the business with “strict constraints” was the best option."

Of course they are making profits there. But I suspect if they simply exit, that those profits would be made by whoever takes the business. Which would be some of the Kremlin oligarchs. It is "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.

No it's not. Unilever owns the supply chain and this should stop too. it is just keeping this going until sanctions are lifted and then being the only one present. Unilever has shown multiple times they are in it for the shareholders all the way.

Translation: there's money to be made and we want it.

Unilever created its empire using Congolese slave labor under Belgian control between 1911 and 1945. Genocide and human rights abuses are literally built into the foundation of the company. Don't believe their bullshit PR speak.

It's just an excuse. You should never take corporate PR at their word. Especially if it boils down to "We have no choice but to continue making tons of money".

Hellmans mayo huh? Guess I'll be switching brands!

I dont see anything else on the list thankfully.

Good thing I'm already switching to shampoo bars to reduce plastic waste

Which brands of shampoo bars are you using? I'm thinking of switching for the same reason.

Another thing you can do, if your hair isn't naturally too oily, is to just wash it less frequently. I was my hair 2 times a week max these days and it honestly looks better than it ever did before. A small bottle of shampoo lasts me more than six months these days.