Micro-managing the M&S website... is that truly the best use of SNP’s time, Nicola?
THE Scottish Government has been accused of putting ‘pressure’ on Marks & Spencer after it was revealed officials raised concerns about the retailer’s failure to describe some goods as Scottish.
The Government contacted the company after a story emerged that Scotch whisky and gin had been listed as being from Great Britain on the M&S website, despite other products having England as country of origin.
A freedom of information request has revealed that officials took up the issue with the firm directly.
A briefing note prepared for Rural Economy and Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewing said that, after the media reports, ‘Scottish Government officials spoke to (redacted) at Marks and Spencer to seek clarity on the situation with regard to the status of these products on their website’.
It goes on: ‘M&S urgently investigated this and reverted back confirming that this was indeed an error which they immediately rectified and sent out a tweet apologising.’
An exchange of emails shows that, following the initial conversation with Scottish Government officials on November 1 2017, M&S confirmed that the website listing ‘was an unfortunate mistake and has now been rectified online’.
A meeting was then arranged between Mr Ewing and M&S representatives.
Nationalists have previously launched online attacks on Tesco for using the Union flag rather than the Saltire on packaging for strawberries grown in Scotland.
The M&S row also sparked an online backlash from SNP supporters, which included a ‘Save Our Scotland Brand’ campaign.
However, Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: ‘There’s not a person in the world who doesn’t know whisky is Scottish.
‘But for the SNP to actively pressure a leading retailer in this way is petty and, frankly, a waste of public resources. It shows just how parochial the SNP Government is, that it would sooner berate businesses for daring to refer to the UK, than actually help them create jobs and grow the economy.
‘Instead of obsessing about Saltires and pandering to the extreme elements of the Yes movement, the SNP Government should be representing the whole country.’
The FOI documents show that the contact with M&S came from the Scottish Government’s head of food and drink industry growth.
In one email, after M&S had changed its website, the civil servant wrote: ‘Quick question – do you guys plan to send any tweets (or something) to clarify the situation? Just wondering as I’m sure if you did Mr Ewing would respond positively.’
In response, M&S said: ‘We’re responding to customer queries on Twitter with the following: “We apologise for the mistake on our website. This has now been updated”.’
The FOI response also showed that Miss Sturgeon forwarded one message sent to her MSP email address on November 1, 2017 about the issue to her First Minister team.
The email said: ‘We are constantly seeing the Union Jack and British being put on all produce that is grown in Scotland, including fruit, whiskey (sic), shortbread, haggis, neeps and tatties. If it is grown and produced in Scotland then surely it should bear the Saltire and have the words made and produced in Scotland.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘These documents show we raised concerns with the company in a constructive manner which were being expressed by the public.
‘Scotland’s food and drink sector is a huge international success story and it’s vital it’s promoted appropriately.’
Comment – Page 18
‘A waste of public resources’