Cosmetics giant Lush is facing calls for a boycott as its accused of encouraging people smuggling with new ‘all refugees are welcome’ poster featuring image of a small boat
Lush was today accused of encouraging human traffickers after unveiling an ‘all refugees welcome’ poster featuring a small boat.
The cosmetics chain was criticised over a new campaign featuring an image of a craft similar to the ones used by cross-Channel people smugglers to ferry tens of thousands of migrants across the dangerous route.
The poster, produced in partnership with Refugee Action, says ‘wherever you’re from, however you got here, all refugees are welcome’ – despite ministers making it illegal to come to Britain in a small boat to claim asylum.
All of the chain’s 103 UK stores are set to promote the poster campaign. They are also selling a special bath bomb with ‘welcome’ embossed on the side.
Proceeds will go to Refugee Action, which has been battling the Government’s Rwanda policy and helped ground last June’s deportation flight.
The cosmetics chain was criticised over a new campaign featuring an image of a craft similar to the ones used by cross-Channel people smugglers
Critics took to social media to call for a boycott of the chain.
Meanwhile, Tory MP Jonathan Gullis told The Sun: ‘To encourage people to needlessly risk their lives is one of the most reckless things you can do, and will help put thousands of pounds in the hands of smuggling gangs.
‘Lush needs to get a grip, have a cold shower check with reality, and maybe they will be able to come back smelling like roses.’
READ MORE – Estimates reveal £169K cost of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda
Lush is well known for its outspoken stance on political issues, and in 2018 was forced to drop a campaign about the so-called ‘spy cops’ scandal after critics said it amounted to an attack on the police.
The posters accused police officers of being ‘paid to lie’ and ‘spying’ on innocent victims.
Lush said it hoped to bring attention to the issue of women being tricked into sexual relationships by undercover officers. But the chain, based in Poole, Devon, eventually took the posters down.
Tim Naor Hilton, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, defended the refugee campaign.
‘No one wants to see refugees risking their lives in dangerous dinghies,’ he said.
‘But its Government’s refusal to open safe routes that’s driving people – many of who have family here – to make life-threatening Channel crossings.
‘It’s shameful that Ministers prefer to indefinitely lock up refugees under its new Refugee Ban Bill than find a compassionate fix to this lack of safe routes. It must scrap this Bill now.’
All of the chain’s 103 UK stores are set to promote the poster campaign, which promotes a special bath bomb with ‘welcome’ embossed on the side.
Andrew Butler, Lush Campaigns Manager, said: ‘It is utterly shameful how certain politicians and pundits seek to scapegoat and blame people who are trying to escape war and conflict.
‘Rather than focusing on why they are leaving their homes they instead focus on the way they try to reach a place of safety.
‘The fact is, the only way refugees can claim asylum in the UK is if they first reach these shores, and the government has closed off all safe routes to Britain for the vast majority of those seeking safety.’
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