When a political candidate trashes a local business, it raises eyebrows—especially when he’s a Subway owner who claims to champion small businesses.
At a glance:
- Damian Culpeper, a Subway franchise owner and Liberal National Party (LNP) candidate in Queensland, is under fire for posting a one-star Google review about a rival bakery, One Mile Bakery in Ipswich.
- Culpeper criticized the bakery for selling “dry” bread, but his harsh review has sparked controversy, with some accusing him of undermining another small business.
- Labor has called for an apology, claiming Culpeper’s review contradicts his claim to support local businesses, especially since One Mile Bakery has a strong 4.5-star rating from other customers.
Damian Culpeper, a Subway franchise owner and political candidate for the Liberal National Party (LNP) in Queensland, is facing intense scrutiny after giving a local Ipswich bakery a scathing one-star review on Google. Culpeper, who owns a Subway in Brisbane, criticized One Mile Bakery for offering what he described as subpar bread, writing, “Very average—well below what I would expect from a bakery.” He added that the bread was “dry, maybe yesterday’s.”
The backlash was swift, particularly given Culpeper’s platform as a champion of small businesses. The bakery, with a 4.5-star average from other customers, questioned whether Culpeper had even visited the establishment but chose not to engage further, stating, “If people want to write nasty reviews, then that’s fine.”
Labor representatives were quick to call out Culpeper’s actions, accusing him of denigrating a local institution. “He claims to be a fighter for small business but denigrates a small, long-established and popular local institution. The hardworking owners and staff of One Mile Bakery deserve an apology from Mr. Culpeper,” they said in a statement.
In response, Culpeper doubled down, deflecting the criticism by attacking Queensland Premier Steven Miles’ policy on free school lunches, saying, “Only Steven Miles’ desperate and stale school lunch program gets a one-star review.”
Business experts, like Griffith University lecturer Graeme Hughes, have warned that negative reviews from business rivals often backfire. “Customers will see straight through that,” Hughes explained, noting that unsubstantiated claims can damage a business’s reputation and create unnecessary obstacles, especially when dealing with platforms like Google Reviews.
Culpeper, who is running for a seat in the Queensland election, has yet to apologize. With the election approaching and Ipswich traditionally leaning toward Labor, the controversy may impact his campaign.
