Cabinet minister has warned businesses to stay out of politics and cultural debates after Costa Coffee and Bud Light both faced backlashes over transgender campaigns.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen said businesses need to instead focus on providing high-quality products and services.
It comes after Costa Coffee was criticised online last week for a mural showing a transgender person with mastectomy scars sipping coffee at one of its express vans.
The row follows the world’s biggest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, seeing Bud Light beer sales slump after a collaboration with a transgender influencer prompted a boycott from right-wing consumers in the US.
I’m uncomfortable, instinctively, to see big businesses appropriating the views of their customers to make a political point
Mr Glen told centre-right think tank Bright Blue on Monday that he thinks the majority of the UK wants businesses “to keep out of politics”.
“But I think where we’ve got to now is that we’ve almost got a checklist of things that a business has to say and do in order to be deemed to be socially and ethically on the right side of the line. And I’m not sure about this,” he said.
“We’ve seen what can happen in recent months. Think of that US beer brand, where consumers reacted rather differently than was anticipated.
“I’m uncomfortable, instinctively, to see big businesses appropriating the views of their customers to make a political point. If they want to get into politics, then stand for election.”
Costa Coffee last week defended the mural as part of its ethos to “celebrate the diversity of our customers, team members and partners”.
“The mural, in its entirety, showcases and celebrates inclusivity,” it said in a statement.
It came after writer James Esses posted the picture of the Costa van, which had been produced for Pride last year, prompting a Twitter debate about glamorising mastectomies – often undertaken when transgender men have surgery to remove their breasts.
But many also welcomed the Costa campaign, with trans right campaigner Ugla Stefania tweeting: “Saw Costa was trending. Turned out it’s because they have an illustration of a trans masc person and all the bigots are losing their minds about trans people existing.
“Great advertisement for Costa really. Thanks everyone, it’s a lovely illustration.”
Meanwhile, Bud Light faced a huge backlash from US conservatives after Dylan Mulvaney opened a Bud Light in a video on Instagram in April as part of a promotional contest for the beer brand.
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s US sales of Bud Light tumbled more than 10% during the second quarter after the row.
The PA news agency has contacted Costa Coffee and Anheuser-Busch InBev for comment.