Florida-based supermarket company joins Facebook and Instagram ad pullout
The Stop Hate for Profit movement aimed at Facebook has gained a Florida-based supermarket chain — not Publix, but Southeastern Grocers, parent company of Winn-Dixie, Fresco Y Mas, Harvey’s and Bi-Lo.
“Starting July 1, we will put an indefinite hold on further advertising on Facebook and [Facebook-owned] Instagram social media platforms in hopes that they continue to champion progressive change and better enforce their stated policies,” said a Tuesday night email from the Jacksonville-based company.
That’s exactly what Stop Hate for Profit wants businesses to do.
On its website, the movement says advertising brings in 99% of Facebook’s $70 billion annual income. Also, it accuses Facebook of allowing the stoking of violence against police brutality protesters; allowing voter suppression; and giving Breitbart News “trusted news source” and The Daily Caller “fact checker” status despite “both publications having records of working with known white nationalists.”
So, Stop Hate is trying to deliver a left hook to Facebook’s bread basket. As of Wednesday morning, the Stop Hate website’s list of participating companies numbered 242, including companies multinational (Ford, Honda) and local (Patrick Daniel Law).
But the list included none of the companies on FoodIndustry.com’s November list of Top 10 U.S. food retailers.
“We passionately believe that we are stronger together and every voice matters,” Southeastern Grocers’ email said. “This is a time for action — and we hope that other grocery retailers, both in the Southeast and throughout the U.S., will join us in this movement.”
Last week, a Southeastern Grocers spokesman didn’t shoot down the possibility of changing the Winn-Dixie name to dissociate from “Dixie’s” connection with the Confederate States of America.
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