Supermarket Association ends two-day Ramsaran's boycott

THE Supermarket Association on Friday ended its boycott of Ramsaran's Dairy Products, which had only begun on Wednesday. The association says it is currently "satisfied" with the company's response.

On Wednesday afternoon, several supermarkets including Massy Stores, Xtra Foods, JTA Supermarket, Persad's D' Food King, TruValu and others removed Ramsaran’s products from its shelves after politically inflammatory comments from a family member, who was also an employee, went viral. The remarks had racial undertones.

After Monday’s general election results, Naila Ramsaran, said to be a close relative of owner Rishi Ramsaran, posted on Facebook calling PNM supporters cockroaches, saying contraceptives should be added to their water supply so they do not multiply.

She later apologised after the backlash, saying she was just angry. She has since deactivated her account and has been fired by the company. She was an accountant since 2013.

And on Wednesday evening, the association issued a release calling on all its members to boycott the company until further notice.

But on Friday evening, president of the association Rajiv Diptee said, "We acknowledge that the opinions expressed on social media and highlighted in the press were the views expressed by an irresponsible employee and family member who does not in fact represent the views of Ramsaran's Dairy Products.

"We take note that the company also issued a full repudiation of the same employee's opinions as policy and also acknowledged it has taken subsequent redress to have the matter amended."

He added that the matter caused "national conversations" but "we take this time to remind the consumers that the power of choice ultimately lies with the consumer's decision to lend their patronage to the products."

"We urge the citizens of TT to move away from divisive diatribe that has the crippling potential to polarise us as a nation."