BMW is accused of discrimination at Shanghai auto show after video showed Western guests receiving free ice cream – while Chinese attendees were told they had run out
- BMW criticised for video appearing to show staff refusing guests ice cream
- Mini has apologised, saying incident was caused by poor internal management
- READ MORE: The 10 best cars unveiled at the 2023 Shanghai motor show
BMW has been slammed over a video which shows staff at a Shanghai car exhibition appearing to tell Chinese guests they are out of free ice cream – while happily giving some to Western visitors.
The German company is facing accusations of discrimination amid claims that the workers at its Mini booth favoured foreign over domestic visitors during an ice cream giveaway promotion.
Mini apologised for the incident, saying in a statement on its official Weibo account that it was caused by poor internal management and that it would improve training.
The topic ‘BMW Mini’ became the second most-searched topic on China’s Weibo social media platform, with over 93 million views amid rising backlash to the footage.
The incident took place on Wednesday at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, according to local media.
Two female workers at the BMW Mini booth were filmed giving ice cream to a Western visitor but appeared to deny it to a Chinese guest
The person taking the video then pans around to show a group of Western guests enjoying tubs of ice cream, shortly after he has been denied one.
BMW is facing accusations of discrimination amid claims that the workers at its Mini booth favoured foreign over domestic visitors
One of the staff members, who BMW said they hired for the event, appears to wave her hand when asked for an ice cream
It comes as the German carmaker tries to court investment in China, the world’s second largest economy.
But the event was tainted for the company after video emerged showing two Chinese workers telling some local visitors to the Mini stand that the free ice cream had run out, only to offer a tub moments later to a Western attendee.
READ MORE: From Lexus limos to the reborn classic MG roadster: The ten best cars unveiled at Shanghai motor show
The person taking the video then pans around to show a group of Western guests enjoying tubs of ice cream, shortly after he has been denied one.
The video sparked backlash online, particularly among Chinese users who saw it as a slight in their home country.
‘This has taken away my good feelings towards BMW,’ said one Weibo commentator.
A person familiar with the matter said the booth had finished giving out 300 servings of ice cream meant for visitors when the incident occurred and the foreigner in the video was a BMW employee.
The workers were temporary workers hired locally for the show, not BMW staff, the person said, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.
In presentations earlier this week, BMW’s Chief Executive Oliver Zipse talked up the importance of the Chinese market to the automaker, saying many of its cars’ features were inspired by China and how the country was ahead of the global curve in auto trends.
A BMW booth is pictured at the Auto Shanghai show (file picture)
In presentations earlier this week, BMW’s Chief Executive Oliver Zipse talked up the importance of the Chinese market to the automaker
BMW and fellow German automakers were taking part in the Shanghai auto show as they fight to stay on top of consumer trends in a country where domestic rivals have been aggressively taking market share.
Chinese consumers have closely monitored the behaviour of big brands in recent years, becoming increasingly critical of foreign companies or local businesses over perceived slights or for not respecting China’s territorial claims.
Such criticism has at times snowballed into consumer boycotts.
In 2019, Dolce & Gabbana saw China sales slow after it faced a backlash for an advertising campaign that was decried as racist by celebrities and on social media.
The Italian luxury brand asked for forgiveness and said there was a ‘cultural misunderstanding’.
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