LONDON: The Co-op, a major UK supermarket chain, has introduced a new ethical sourcing policy under which it will stop selling products from countries flagged for serious human rights violations. The first items to be removed include Israeli carrots, Russian vodka, and mangoes from Mali.
The decision, approved by the Co-op Group Board, is rooted in a commitment to “support peace and co-operation” by severing ties with nations where “internationally recognised community-wide human rights abuses and violations of international law” have been documented.
Under the new policy, Co-op will seek to avoid ingredients in its own branded products and refrain from selling whole goods sourced from 17 identified countries flagged for their troubling human rights records.
This means that shoppers will gradually notice certain familiar items disappearing from shelves, starting as early as this month.
While Israeli carrots and Russian vodka have captured headlines due to their geopolitical symbolism, the policy extends far beyond, including fruits like mangoes from Mali.
Debbie White, chairwoman of the Co-op Group Board, said: “This policy, developed over the past year as part of our Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them campaign, truly reflects our co-operative values in action—listening to our members and responding to their voices.
According to Amnesty International, Israel committed “genocide” in Gaza, including by causing some of the highest known death tolls among children, journalists, and health and humanitarian workers of any recent conflict in the world.
Israel committed the crime of apartheid, including through the forcible transfer and displacement of Palestinians, According to the Amnesty International 2024-25 report.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 56,259 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the Palestinian territory’s health ministry said on Thursday.
Israel’s national security minister on Thursday warned to completely block humanitarian aid supplies to the besieged territory.
According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, at least 549 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to get food from the sites since the GHF began operations on May 27.
It said the attacks on those seeking aid have also caused 4,066 injuries, and that 39 persons remained missing following the attacks.
According to British charity Save the Children, more than half of the casualties in the attacks near distribution hubs were children.
Of the 19 deadly incidents reported, the organisation found that children were among the casualties in 10 of them.
“No one wants to get aid from these distribution points and who can blame them – it’s a death sentence. People are terrified of being killed,” said Ahmad Alhendawi, Save the Children’s regional director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe.
The blockade of humanitarian aid supplies had pushed most of the Gaza population to the brink of starvation.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned that families across Gaza are at risk of dying of thirst amid the collapse of water supply systems.
UNRWA noted that only 40 percent of drinking water production facilities are still operating, and that “Gaza is on the edge of a man-made drought.
