Wood joins calls for Perrier boycott

Victoria Wood and Julie Christie have joined calls for comics to boycott the Perrier Awards.

Robert Newman sparked the row last week when he criticised the way parent company Nestle in marketed its baby milk in the developing world.

Now Oscar-winner Christie, who his known for her campaigning, said: "I hope that up and coming comedians will decline to support the Perrier Awards."

But Wood was more concerned about the waste involved in producing bottled water.
She said: "Comedians can manage without the Perrier Award and the world should be able to manage without Perrier.

"I support the boycott. The idea that the only way to get clean drinking water is to pay for some in a bottle is appalling. I'm not comfortable about the waste involved in producing a plastic bottle just so I can drink something I can get from a tap."

However, the campaigners have also come under fire for pressuring comedians for the sake of their cause.

Awards organiser Nica Burns said: "The people highlighting the issue don't care about the comedians and the fact they have worked all year round to get here.

And she told the Daily Telegraph: "People are annoyed with this cause. It's not right or appropriate. It's not wanted. Push off and let us do what we're here to do."

And Nestle refutes the protesters' claims that Third World mothers are unduly pressurised into buying their product.

The company says it has long changed its practices.

Published: 6 Aug 2001