Ocado apologises to Mumsnet after it said forum had ‘hateful political views’

Ocado has apologised to Mumsnet after pulling out from a partnership “citing Mumsnet’s ‘hateful political views'” because the forum included a call to clarify the definition of sex in the Equality Act in its 2024 manifesto.

It follows the judgment by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, that the definition of a woman in equality law is based on biological sex, meaning transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) can be excluded from single-sex spaces if “proportionate”.

Mumsnet’s chief executive Justine Roberts posted on the site after the ruling congratulating everyone on the website who “played a part in securing what I think most would agree is much-needed clarity in the Equality Act”.

She said that previously a “fair number of organisations pulled their advertising under pressure from activists”.

And she added that Ocado “pulled out” of a partnership after the website included a call to clarify the definition of sex in the Equality Act in its 2024 Mumsnet Manifesto, then “refused to speak to us ever since”.

Ms Roberts said: “When we included a call to clarify the definition of sex in the Equality Act in our 2024 Mumsnet Manifesto, Ocado, who had been excited about a partnership, abruptly pulled out, citing Mumsnet’s ‘hateful political views’.

“Despite repeated attempts to explain our position – as a platform committed to amplifying women’s voices – they’ve refused to speak to us ever since.”

Feminist campaigner and writer Julie Bindel, the co-founder of the law reform group Justice for Women, posted on X about potentially boycotting Ocado after “the Mumsnet thing” and Ocado replied on X saying: “These comments are not representative of us as a company, and we believe they were made by a temporary contractor who is no longer with the business.

“We apologise unreservedly to Mumsnet.”