The Co-op has announced it will stop sourcing goods from 16 countries where there are internationally recognised human rights abuses and violations of international law.
Countries included in the ban include Israel, Mali, Russia, Syria, Belarus, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Sudan. The move follows feedback from its members through surveys and motions passed at its annual conference.
The Co-op operates 2,300 grocery stores across the UK and 14,000 people are employed in those stores across the region.
100 products to be banned
The Co-op said the ban covers its own label products and branded ones. There is unlikely to be much of a financial hit following this decision as most of their products come from Europe.
Nevertheless, Co-op likes to do business ethically. It sells Fairtrade products and supports local community projects.
Debbie White, Chair of the Co-op board, told The Guardian: “Voices of members have been listened to and acted upon. We are committed, where we can, to removing products and ingredients from our shelves which are sourced from those countries where the international consensus demonstrates there is not alignment with what happens in those countries and our co-operative values and principles.”
Supermarket imports from Israel
UK supermarkets import essential oils, cosmetics and toiletries, dates, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and edible preparations such as tahini and halva from Israel.
These amount to around £184 million annually. A significant share comes from companies operating in West Bank settlements.
Tesco continues to source mainland Israeli produce (e.g. avocados, herbs, dates). It does not source from Israeli settlements. There have been protests around military actions outside their stores
Morrisons does not source from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. However, investigations in 2013 and 2020 revealed packing of dates, avocados, mangoes from Hadiklaim and other companies operating in settlements.
They also source Israeli Barkan wine, and produce from Galilee, Hadiklaim, Miriam Shoham—some traced back to settlement operations.
Asda sells fresh produce such as radishes, dates, and avocados from Israel. Sainsbury’s & Waitrose sells avocados, herbs, and grapes labelled “Product of Israel”, and some from West Bank settlements. Sainsbury’s has been singled out in consumer boycott discussions.
