All hail the Internet

The recent Heinz/French’s ketchup war shows just how quickly the public can be motivated – and misled – into action.

As everyone in southwestern Ontario is aware, Heinz, (owned by American and Brazilian interests) ended a century of tomato processing in Leamington by closing its plant two years ago.

A saviour emerged in the form of Highbury Canco, a firm that re-opened the plant on a smaller scale and has begun to grow the business.

Consumers were angry and boycotts were threatened in the wake of the closure, but nothing much happened until French’s (owned by a British conglomerate) began increasing ketchup production by touting that its ketchup was made from Canadian tomatoes grown locally and processed in Toronto.

The Internet mob mentality thrust itself at Heinz, calling for a boycott of its products; unaware that Heinz is a huge customer of Highbury Canco.

The boycott, if effective, would have cost hundreds of jobs in Leamington and hurt local farmers who supply the Highbury plant with tomatoes.

Still looking for blood, the Internet fixed its anger on Loblaws, the grocery giant that planned to stop selling French’s (Canadian) ketchup in favour of Heinz (American) catsup.

It was later reported (and disavowed by Loblaws) that it was dropping French’s because it was cutting into sales of its Presidents’ Choice house brand that is – you guessed it – processed in Canada from Canadian tomatoes.

After a few days of being assailed by misguided patriotic anger, Loblaws reversed its decision and will now keep French’s on its shelves.

If we’ve learned anything from this, and chances are we haven’t, it’s that access to the Internet doesn’t mean rogue ranters have the slightest idea what they’re talking about.

Treat them with the same raised eyebrow you’d give someone at the local coffee shop who told you they just inherited $60 million from a Nigerian prince or that they have a house cat the size of a horse.

Just because it comes from a glowing screen doesn’t mean you should believe it.