Metro severs ties with spokesperson accused of sexual misconduct
For the last year, Éric Salvail was a star of Metro’s marketing campaigns in Quebec. This morning, the grocer moved quickly to separate itself from the Quebecois television personality following a published report that accuses Salvail of repeated sexual misconduct and harassment.
The article, posted this morning by La Presse, included allegations from 11 different people who worked for the popular TV host and producer claiming inappropriate sexual comments and behaviour including multiple allegations of Salvail exposing himself. The accusations go back to the early 2000s.
Metro signed Salvail as a spokesperson in May 2016. The grocer built its Christmas campaign around Salvail last year, and more recently he starred in a campaign that was part of the grocer’s 70th anniversary.
Metro issued a short statement late this morning: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the article published this morning in La Presse +, Metro Inc. announces the suspension of its advertising agreement with the host and producer Éric Salvail.”
In a post on his Facebook page, Salvail said he was “deeply shaken” by the story in La Presse and that he would be taking a “professional break for a few days” to “take stock of events.”