It is always surprising to see a media outlet whose articles are usually of good quality hammering home a false story, and doing so with sloppy writing.
When this happens on a small, anonymous blog, it’s simply put down to the author’s lack of professionalism. When it happens on le360.ma, an online newspaper run by a true professional such as Mohamed Douyeb, formerly of *La Vie Eco*, one has to ask ‘why’?
A look back at what is starting to resemble a disinformation campaign, without us really knowing who is pulling the strings, or to what end (and therefore whether le360.ma is a victim or an accomplice).
Act I: Marjane would stop selling alcohol
In late October 2013, the entire online community – including us – jumped at the surprising announcement that Marjane was halting the sale of alcohol, extending across its network the decision taken during Ramadan 2012 not to reopen certain alcohol sections.
It was indeed a surprising decision, as the continued presence of pork on the shelves clearly shows that this is not a decision based on religious ethics (despite rumours that the Gulf shareholder had demanded it), and that the sale of alcohol – of which Marjane was one of the pioneers in the supermarket sector – is particularly profitable.
Act II: The Denial
Very quickly, Mohamed El Amrani, Marjane’s CEO, denied the reports: Marjane is not stopping the sale of alcohol, but is simply reorganising its product range, and is in fact ceasing to sell alcohol only in a number of stores, for reasons linked to store layout and space optimisation (to make room for the arrival of IKEA?).
The timing of the reports is somewhat strange: it is as though, either someone had deliberately spread a rumour to stifle the announcement of IKEA’s arrival (which is causing concern amongst its Moroccan competitors, such as Kitea and Mobilia), or, conversely, Marjane had announced this partnership to give journalists something else to write about rather than the sale of alcohol.
Act III: Here we go again, and Marjane and Acima
So, on Monday, le360.ma published a report stating that, “according to sources close to the matter”, SNI had apparently made the final decision to stop selling alcohol – not only in Marjane stores, but also at Acima.
The article is particularly vague: the sources are anonymous, and the reasons are not known precisely; it is said to be a ‘political’ decision (it is clearly not an economic one). Because, take your pick:
- His Majesty the King, Commander of the Faithful and a shareholder in SNI, would like to see religious observance enforced.
- The well-known shareholder from the Gulf, who is set to join the company, is said to have demanded this.
- There are reportedly too many road deaths and too many alcohol-related tragedies.
The first two reasons aren’t valid (once again, as long as pork is still available in these supermarkets…). Nor is the third. Cutting off the supply has never been a solution for reducing alcohol consumption. We now know that people in the United States never drank as much as they did during Prohibition, and that Saudi Arabia is the biggest consumer of alcohol in the Middle East.
The best solution – one that also benefits the state coffers – is a significant increase in taxes, particularly on cheap alcohol, such as wine. This is because, unlike fines for speeding or drink-driving, there is no scope for corruption at a supermarket checkout. When alcohol becomes too expensive, people drink less of it.
So?
A three-cushion billiards effect?
What if the reason for these rumours lay in the article itself? After all, le360.ma is keen to emphasise the delight of the chain’s employees, who will no longer be receiving ‘haram’ dirhams, and even goes so far as to state:
[This decision] enhances SNI’s image as a socially responsible group
It’s true – you only had to look at the online reaction to the first advert.
Conversely, denials undermine this image, which explains Mohamed El Amrani’s great discretion.
If that were the case, the misinformation could come from numerous sources: rival supermarkets that do not already sell alcohol (Aswak Assalam), Ikea’s competitors wishing to tarnish its image in the eyes of its partner, or, more generally, anyone with an interest in driving the point home: in Morocco, a Muslim country, alcohol is sold freely. This ‘anyone’ could also include political Islamist groups.
More information
- Exclusif. La SNI renonce à la vente des boissons alcoolisées
- Exclusive. SNI calls off the sale of alcoholic drinks
- Maghress : Ikea ne se démonte pas
- Why isn’t there an Ikea in Morocco?
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