S&Z Grocery in Athens, Alabama retails a wide variety of products. However, the store owner banned two items because of a promotional label with a logo that he did not like.
The logo in question is none other than the NFL logo that was featured on the bottles of Pepsi.
“I don’t want to support them in any way, because I feel like it’s just wrong. I can’t in good conscious sell the product because it does have the logo on it,” Phillip Stewart, owner of S&Z Grocery told said in a statement.
In a Facebook post, Stewart said the following:
“This may cause me to lose some business, but here goes. S&Z supermarket currently will not be selling 20 ounce Pepsi or Diet Pepsi. These two items are currently produced with the NFL logo on them. I refuse to sell the product until the logo is removed. I will not bow down in order to the make a dollar as long as the athletes are allowed to bow down and disrespect the flag and country that I love.” Stewart said in a statement that he understood what the players’ rally was all about, but felt “there are other ways to deal with it.”
“This has brought attention to it I’m sure there is good that comes from this, I just don’t agree with the tactic,” Stewart added. Furthermore, the store owner announced that he’d continue to sell Pepsi products, just not the products that promoted the NFL logo, which according to his distributor would remain on the bottles through the Superbowl. Most people supported Phillip Stewart’s judgment to discontinue selling Pepsi products with the NFL logo. They applauded him for standing up for his beliefs.