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No Heineken beer in the townhall Weststellingwerf?

4 June 2018

After council meetings, Heineken beer is served in the town hall in Wolvega. That should change quickly, according to the political party GroenLinks (GreenLeft) in Weststellingwerf (province of Friesland in the Netherlands).

Council member Gaby Thijssen will submit a motion on Monday evening, calling on the mayor and aldermen to switch to another brand.

The reason is the book 'Beer for Africa' by research journalist Olivier van Beemen. Among other things, he writes that girls who are used in several African countries to promote the brand, fall prey to sexually transgressive behavior.

Thijssen states that such practices are in contrast with "the Fairtrade principles. This is simply out of the question. "Weststellingwerf has been a so-called Fairtrade municipality since 2014. This means that, where possible, it purchases products that are produced and manufactured in an honest and humane manner.”

Thijssen already addressed the issue to the College of Mayor and Aldermen during a council question round. "I thought: they arrange that with the facility service. But it is not like that. Hence this motion."

As a result of Van Beemen's publications, minister Sigrid Kaag for Foreign Trade and Development called on Heineken to change these practices. ASN Bank canceled the Heineken share from its sustainability fund.

Update June 5, 2018: The motion was not put to the vote because it was clear in advance that there would be insufficient support.

Source: lc.nl.

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