Unilever accused of silencing Ben & Jerry's over Trump criticism
Investing.com -- Ben & Jerry's, the ice cream brand, has accused its parent company Unilever (LON: ULVR ) of trying to silence its criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump. This development comes as Unilever is preparing to spin off the ice cream brand later this year.
The allegations were made in a legal filing in a Manhattan federal court on Thursday. According to Ben & Jerry's, Unilever's ice cream chief, Peter ter Kulve, banned the company from issuing any posts criticizing President Trump earlier in the day. Ter Kulve justified his actions by citing Unilever's ongoing restructuring, which he described as creating a "new dynamic" during an "unprecedented time."
The ice cream company also claimed that ter Kulve had previously blocked a planned post on contentious issues when President Trump was inaugurated on January 20, as it mentioned Trump.
This legal action is part of Ben & Jerry's lawsuit against Unilever's alleged attempts to dismantle its independent board and cease its social activism. The ice cream brand, known for its socially conscious mission since its inception by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978, has been publicly at odds with Unilever since 2021. The conflict escalated when Ben & Jerry's stopped sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and its business there was later sold.
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