Richard's Cookies shop has sparked controversy after displaying cookies decorated with international flags, including a Palestinian one, during the Olympics.
The store Cookies Richard, located in Deauville (Calvados), is facing controversy. At issue: an online default campaign sparked by the display of cookies decorated with small flags, including a Palestinian flag.
A misconstrued Olympic initiative
To mark the opening of the Olympics, the Cookies Richard team decided to order small flags representing the participating countries. These flags, the size of a toothpick, had been placed on top of the biscuits displayed in the display case. The presence of a Palestinian flag in the middle of the lot quickly sparked controversy.
The day after this decoration was put up, one of the managers of the store in Deauville thought it prudent to remove all the flags. “We didn't want to offend anyone,” he explains to the regional daily. Unfortunately, the retreat was not enough to calm the storm. West of France reports that for two weeks, the turnover of this family business has been in free fall. A situation that contrasts sharply with the usually cheerful summer atmosphere of this boutique on the Côte Fleurie.
Opened in July 2023, this patisserie quickly won the hearts of Deauville residents and tourists, before also setting up shop in Caen six months later.