Next they came for the colas…
Turkey is threatening to boycott Pepsi if the company does not apologize for offending Muslims.
ROP and Today’s Zaman reported:
A condition in a photo contest run by Pepsi stating that photos with people wearing a headscarf will not be accepted has triggered numerous protests.
Calls to boycott the company’s products are becoming widespread, despite the fact that Pepsi removed this condition following earlier complaints. After a similar move by the Consumers Association, the Craftsmen and Artisans Association (ESDER) has announced that they will boycott Pepsi products until the company issues a public apology. ESDER President Mahmut Çelikus emphasized that saying “those wearing headscarves cannot participate in the contest” is discrimination based on people’s beliefs.
Çelikus noted that companies operating in Turkey, where 99 percent of the population is Muslim, have to respect the values of the public. Calling for Pepsi to apologize, Çelikus stated that should Pepsi refuse to do so, ESDER will begin a boycott in accordance with its members’ demands.
This is not the first time a Muslim group has urged a cola boycott.