The Co-op’s procurement shift away from Israel and 16 other nations has ignited a debate over ethics and corporate responsibility, leaving many curious about the broader consequences.
At a Glance
- The UK’s Co-op supermarket will stop sourcing own-brand products from Israel, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and 13 other nations.
- Citing “internationally recognized” human rights abuses, the policy will be fully implemented by mid-2025.
- The decision has sparked a fierce backlash, with critics calling it “hateful” and an inappropriate foray into “student union politics.”
- Supporters have hailed the move as a victory for ethical consumerism and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Co-op Announces Controversial Boycott
The Co-op Group, a major UK supermarket chain, has announced it will halt the sourcing of own-brand products from 17 countries due to human rights concerns. The list includes Israel, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, and Syria. The policy, which will be phased in and completed by mid-2025, will affect Israeli-sourced products like carrots and dates.
According to a statement from Co-op Group Chair Debbie White, the decision was driven by the company’s members. “This policy… is a clear demonstration of our co-operative values in action, where the voices of our members have been listened to and then acted upon,” White said, as reported by the Daily Mail. She added that it was a “natural progression” of the company’s long-standing commitment to ethical sourcing.
A Fierce Backlash
The decision has been met with immediate and forceful criticism. Former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel slammed the move, telling The Times, “The supermarket chain should be focused on delivering goods for their customers, not playing student union politics with international affairs.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism condemned the policy as “hateful and divisive,” pointing out that Israel is the only democracy on the list. “It is apt that this policy of boycotting the Jewish state was developed as part of a Co-op campaign titled ‘Hate Divides Communities,’ because that is exactly what this policy is,” a spokesman said.
Praise from Activist Groups
On the other side of the debate, the move was celebrated by pro-Palestinian activists. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign praised the Co-op for “responding to the call from its members” and described it as a “historic victory for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement,” a global campaign aimed at pressuring Israel over its policies towards Palestinians.
The Co-op had previously stopped sourcing products from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank in 2009 and banned Russian-made products in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. This new policy, however, applies to the state of Israel itself and has significantly escalated the debate over the role of corporations in complex geopolitical conflicts.
