Ben & Jerry’s vs. Unilever once again

The American ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s claims that its parent company, Unilever, has silenced it from making statements about Trump.

This is not the first time that Ben & Jerry’s has clashed with its parent company. The two companies—already embroiled in an ongoing legal dispute over Unilever’s alleged interference in the ice cream brand’s social mission—are once again in open conflict. The latest issue stems from Unilever reportedly blocking a statement that highlighted “several social issues Ben & Jerry’s believed would be challenged under a Trump administration, including minimum wage, universal healthcare, abortion, and climate change.”

Despite weeks of work on the statement, including feedback from Unilever’s global head of litigation, Peter ter Kelve (Business Group President, Ice Cream) banned Ben & Jerry’s from publishing the statement on January 18, 2024, because it specifically mentioned ‘Donald Trump,’ according to a legal complaint obtained by Dairy Reporter.

When Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, the merger agreement stipulated that Ben & Jerry’s independent board would be responsible for the brand’s ‘social mission’—its stance on social and economic issues, as well as other brand-related matters. However, the ice cream brand has repeatedly accused Unilever of censoring its statements, such as its support for peace in Gaza.