One of the funniest quirks of food globalization in Hungary is the fact that, since the word “Auchan” doesn’t really slide off the Hungarian tongue so easily, many locals refer to the French-owned hypermarket chain with the bird in its logo as madaras Tesco, or “birdie Tesco.” Odd coincidence then that the company now faces a consumer boycott here over charges that a planned expansion of one of its stores threatens some nearby marshland, and thus, one assumes, real birdies.
According to a predictably long and convoluted report on the controversy on origo.hu, a coalition of up to two dozen NGOs are urging action after Auchan said it would go ahead with plans to enlarge its location in Dunakeszi, on the outskirts of Budapest.
At issue is not just the fear that the expansion will harm the nearby wetlands, which the NGOs say are protected from such development. They are also angry about what they say is a pattern of dishonesty on the part of the retailer; allegedly Auchan said that it had been told by the authorities that it could reroute a creek in the area, but that this is impossible under current regulations.
For its part, Auchan spokesperson Katalin Gillemont said the firm would abide by the results of an investigation being conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Water.
