Icelandic flag napkins will remain on sale

The Icelandic flag napkins will remain on sale despite concerns that they could violate the country’s flag law, mbl.is reports. Stefán S. Guðjónsson, chief executive of wholesaler John Lindsay ehf., said the product had proved highly popular.

Neither the company nor its customers intended to disrespect the national flag, he said. On the contrary, they viewed the napkins as a way to highlight the flag and show it respect and affection.

Morgunblaðið reported on Wednesday that the napkins might breach the flag law, particularly its provision concerning disrespect for the flag. A lawyer consulted by the newspaper said it was “inevitable that people would use [the napkins] in such a way that the flag is soiled and then thrown in the bin.”

John Lindsay has imported the napkins for years, and they are sold in numerous shops. They were designed in Iceland, like several other napkins created by the wholesaler’s marketing department, while production is handled by a German company. The napkins are available in two sizes.

Stefán said the company had no plans to withdraw them from sale and had observed nothing but positive reactions from Icelandic consumers.

“Our customers have told us that they greatly value being able to decorate their party tables with the flag napkins on major occasions such as Iceland’s national day on 17 June, and when celebrating important milestones in life,” he said.

He linked the popularity of the product to growing interest in the Icelandic flag, including the number of people who had been flying it this summer.

Comparable products are available in many parts of Europe, Stefán added, where printing a national flag on napkins or paper plates for parties is not considered disrespectful. Instead, he said, people saw such products as reflecting pride in and respect for the flag.