Carrefour China will issue a statement today to announce cancellations of its planned large-scale promotions for the May Day holiday, a way it hoped to avoid flaring up more anger from some Chinese Netizens who are calling for a boycott of the French retailer over allegations it supports the Dalai Lama.

The three-day holiday promotion will be scrapped while other large sales will also be halted, Xinhua news agency reported today. But the French retailer will continue some promotions for specific items because they were initiated by product makers or suppliers, the report said.

A Carrefour public relations official confirmed with Shanghai Daily that it will publish a statement on this issue.

The move was the latest response from France's biggest retailer, which has been under mounting pressure after Chinese Internet users accused Paris-based Carrefour of offering financial support to Tibet separatists.

Netizens used BBS communities and cell phone messages to call for a nationwide boycott of the French retail giant on May 1.

Carrefour has denied links to Tibet separatists and said it will never do anything that would hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.

The retailer previously said on its Website that it will launch sales promotions of up to 50 percent from May 1 to May 4 in its 112 outlets on the mainland.

But the company did not say the promotion was related to the boycott despite some perceiving the move as an act to shake people's determination to join the boycott.

According to promotion posters, customers were promised discount coupons ranging from 45 yuan to 250 yuan (US$35.72) based on how much they spend.