Ben & Jerry’s Expands Lawsuit Against Unilever, Alleging Censorship Over Trump Reference

By Evans Momodu
3-minute read

Ben & Jerry’s has amended a censorship lawsuit filed in November against its parent company, Unilever, alleging that the consumer goods giant suppressed a planned social media statement that mentioned President Donald Trump.

The Vermont-based ice cream maker claims in its revised complaint that its board sought to release a post addressing issues such as abortion, climate change, minimum wage, and universal healthcare—topics it viewed as being at risk under the Trump administration.

However, Peter Ter Kulve, Unilever's president of its ice cream division, allegedly blocked the post solely because it mentioned Trump by name.

“According to Mr. Ter Kulve, despite four decades of progressive social activism—and years of challenging Trump administration policies—criticising Trump was now deemed too controversial for the brand synonymous with ‘Peace, Love, and Ice Cream,’” the lawsuit states.

Ben & Jerry’s original lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, accused Unilever of stifling its attempts to publicly support Palestinian refugees and advocate for a resolution to end military aid to Israel.

The complaint also alleged that Unilever threatened to dismantle the company’s board and sue its members over plans to release a statement calling for “peace” and a “permanent and immediate ceasefire.”

The dispute stems from Ben & Jerry’s decision in 2021 to cease selling products in occupied Palestinian territories, a move it said was inconsistent with the company’s values.

“We’re a values-led company with a long history of advocating for human rights and social justice. We believe it is inconsistent with our values for our products to be present within an internationally recognised illegal occupation,” the company stated on its website.

Neither Ben & Jerry’s nor Unilever immediately responded to requests for comment.
Source: CNN