Marks & Spencer tries not upset anyone by withdrawing Union Flag bags from NI - but will instead upset everyone, says MLA
Marks & Spencer has tried not to upset anyone by withdrawing Union Flag bags from Northern Ireland - but is instead “likely to upset everyone” it is claimed.
The company has confirmed that it withdrew Union Flag reusable shopping bags from their Sprucefield store in Lisburn after a complaint from a customer.
M&S told the News Letter that the bags had never been intended to be distributed in Northern Ireland but had been intended for customers in England only.
Only a small number were given out in Lisburn by mistake until a customer complained and the error was realised, it said.
The bags approved for distribution in NI feature only images of Ulster farm scenes, the company added.
Over two days the News Letter invited M&S to explain why it does not supply the Union Flag bags to customers in NI - bearing in mind that it is an integral part of the UK?
Why was it not possible for a variety of bags to be available in NI for customers to choose from?
And why have the Union Flag bags been pre-censored for NI?
The News Letter also asked M&S why it has previously flown a large Irish trilcolour from the front of its of its store on Grafton Street in Dublin, as seen in a photo found by the News Letter.
And this paper also asked what designs feature on bags supplied in Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland?
However a spokeswoman for M&S said they would not be answering any of the questions.
The company's code of conduct includes the line: "Close to customers... we tell it as it is...".
But UUP MLA Doug Beattie said that if M&S is happy to fly the tricolour in Dublin then it should be happy to offer Union Flag bags to any NI customers who would like them.
"It needs to be made clear to M&S," he said.
"Where they aim to be sensitive to the varied constitutional view in Northern Ireland there are a sizeable number of people who would wish to be treated in the same manner as those in the rest of the UK.
"To that end M&S should make the bags, that have a Union Flag design, available to those people while ensuring those who do not wish to purchase one have an alternative.
"This M&S strategy, of not trying to upset anyone, is likely to upset everyone. They clearly have no issue flying the Irish Flag in Dublin, and neither should they, then they should have no issue flying the Union Flag in Belfast."
M&S said previously: “We offer a range of different carrier bag designs which are popular with our customers in each part of the UK and Republic of Ireland.
"This includes a farmland-based design for Northern Ireland to recognise the wide range of food products we source from there.
"On this occasion, our Lisburn store was mistakenly sent a batch of bags featuring the England design which found their way to a small number of customers when the store ran out of Northern Ireland bags.
"This has since been resolved and customers shopping in our Lisburn store are already back to seeing their more familiar Northern Ireland bags.”