Brigitte Bardot Leads French Call For Fortnum & Mason To End Foie Gras Sales

For Immediate Release:

24 April 2013

Contact:

Ben Williamson +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 229; [email protected]

London – French animal-protection groups – including the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, the Society for the Protection of Animals, L214 and Rights of Animals, among others – have joined PETA’s call for Fortnum & Mason to end its sale of vile foie gras. In a letter sent to the store’s managing director, Ewan Venters, the groups voiced the opposition of their tens of thousands of French supporters to the barbaric force-feeding of geese and refuted the store’s preposterous claim that there exists such a thing as “high welfare” foie gras.

“Thousands of people in France are working towards an end to the shameful practice of force feeding birds and we respectfully urge you not to help keep this inhumane and shrinking industry alive”, state the groups.

Sixties siren Brigitte Bardot, a leading animal rights campaigner, added a scathing statement to her foundation’s support. “Mr Venters seems to be one of those imbeciles who, just for a fleeting moment of flavour, is willing to ignore the overwhelming scientific evidence that force-feeding ducks and geese to produce grotesquely enlarged livers for foie gras is horrifically cruel”, says Bardot. “I hope France will end this shameful abuse of birds, which is quite rightly banned in Venters’ own country. But until then, Mr Venters should keep his hands off our geese!”

Force-feeding of birds for foie gras production, which is already banned in the UK, is allowed in just five European countries – including France – which is why Fortnum & Mason shamefully pays French farmers to force-feed geese on its behalf. During foie gras production, huge amounts of grain are pumped into the stomachs of ducks and geese through metal pipes, which are rammed down their throats several times a day. Their distended livers – which can swell to up to 10 times their normal size – press against their lungs, causing them to pant constantly. Veterinarians and avian experts agree – there is no humane way to produce foie gras.

For more information and to view the letter and Bardot’s statement in full, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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