During Salone del Mobile 2013 in Milan, the historic Bar Basso in via Plinio was a protagonist of the FuoriSalone events organized by SodaStream, from April 9-14.

The event, publicized on various magazines, consisted in displaying SodaStream products throughout the bar and in its windows as well as the preparation of cocktails and drinks using their carbonation machines.

BDS Milano organized a boycott action on Friday, April 12, appearing at Bar Basso equipped with Palestinian flags, posters and flyers calling for a boycott.

After distributing flyers for about 10 minutes to the bar’s patrons and a somewhat resentful reception by the staff, Bar Basso manager, Maurizio Stocchetto, agreed to hear the reasons behind the action and invited the activists inside to speak.

After reading the flyer calling for a boycott of SodaStream and hearing our concerns, the manager phoned the agent who had first proposed the event, explaining the situation in which he found himself and expressing his resentment for not having been informed beforehand of the international boycott campaign against SodaStream.

Finally, following a call made directly to SodaStream Italy to explain what was going on in his bar, Stocchetto decided to cancel the event starting the next day, even though it meant incurring a loss (the agreement with SodaStream stipulated that payment for advertisement of their products would be based on the number of cocktails prepared with their carbonation machines).

A follow-up inspection by BDS Milano confirmed that Bar Basso had removed the SodaStream products on display and canceled the event.

Source: BDS Milano