This week has seen growing calls in Egypt and across the region for the boycott of French brands in response to comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding extremism in Muslim communities. Hashtags related to the Prophet Muhammad and others calling for a boycott of France have trended on Facebook and Twitter and the topic has been hotly debated by scholars, academics and government figures across the region. However, a boycott of French brands, especially in Egypt, would be shortsighted. Here’s why. You’re harming Egypt’s economy, not France’s Ignoring luxury brands like Louis Vuitton (which in any case are not everyday, regular purchases), French brands are part and parcel of Egypt. These brands are familiar to everyday Egyptians, have long histories and ties with the country and are often distributed via Egyptian companies. Among the brands targeted by boycotters is Carrefour, the French multinational hypermarket giant. In Egypt, Carrefour, which opened its first store in the country in 2002, is operated by the Emirati Majid Al Futtaim Group and employs more than 7,000 Egyptians across 54 stores. So far in 2020, Carrefour has invested EGP 200 million in the…
