Will others follow Co-op in dropping Israeli produce?

Co-op halted the sale of Israeli-sourced food and drink last month, in the face of pressure from members. Campaigners are now calling for other supermarkets to follow suit.

In a ‘Don’t Buy Apartheid Day of Action’ last Saturday, protestors gathered at 20 locations to urge retailers to “boycott Israeli produce such as avocados, peppers, herbs and dates” as well as Coca-Cola products – due to what organiser the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) described as the drinks giant’s operation, via a franchisee, of a regional distribution centre in Atarot, based on an “illegal” settlement in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem.

PSC said “by selling these products, supermarkets are profiting from Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its military occupation and apartheid against Palestinians”. However, Co-op’s decision to effectively blacklist Israel has been met with anger by Jewish groups.

So are other retailers likely to follow Co-op’s example? And what was the decision-making process behind its move?

Israel wasn’t the only country included in Co-op’s pledge to stop sourcing “where there are internationally recognised community-wide human rights abuses and violations of international law”.

The group also applied the move to 16 other “countries of concern”, including Russia, Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan and Yemen. 

But the stance on Israel was of particular interest. Calls for a boycott of Israeli goods have been rumbling since November, when the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former cabinet minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Co-op members passed a non-binding vote in favour of a motion to boycott Israeli produce at its AGM on 17 May, with support from some 73% of members.

The motion drew parallels with Co-op’s status as the first UK grocer to ban the sale of Russian food and drink in 2022, and urged its board to show “moral courage and leadership” by ceasing trade with Israel in light of the Gaza conflict – where the humanitarian situation has rapidly deteriorated due to Israel’s blockade, prompted by Hamas’ 7 October attacks in 2023.

Wider campaign

The retailer’s board then confirmed its sourcing policy on 24 June, with the PSC “warmly welcoming” the “historic first” move, saying Co-op had “recognised its moral responsibility to cease complicity in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians”.

Co-op, however, was keen to stress the decision, alongside the blacklisting of the 16 other countries, came as part of a wider ‘Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them’ campaign. It made no additional reference to the Israel/Hamas conflict. About 100 products in total will be affected by the decision, which has already resulted in delistings.

It said its sourcing policy shift followed “over a year of detailed analysis”, with Co-op Group chair Debbie White saying the move was a “clear demonstration of our co-operative values, where the voices of our members have been listened to and then acted upon”.

The retailer had “a long-standing legacy of doing the right thing, supporting Fairtrade and championing ethical sourcing, and this policy is a natural progression of this”, White added, with the campaign “once again” positioning Co-op “with those who advocate for and build peace”.

But the sourcing policy switch has also proven to be hugely controversial.

An “extremely disappointed” Board of Deputies of British Jews said the “indiscriminate and unjustified boycott of Israeli goods will do nothing to advance peace in the Middle East”. 

And an indignant Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said it was “apt 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: hateful and divisive”.

More than four-fifths (84%) of British Jews believed boycotts of Israeli businesses selling Israeli products constitute intimidation, it added, referencing recent research. “Boycotts like this have real world effects on the Jewish community, as Jews know from centuries of such ostracism. This is shameful from the Co-op, and its terrible reputation in the Jewish community is well earned.”

Responding to the criticism, Co-op this week told The Grocer: “We’re fully aware of the concerns raised by the CAA and understand boycotts may have impacts on the Jewish community”.

Its policy “was not about opposition to a country or its people”, Co-op stressed, but instead about “taking a principled stance”. Its position against internationally recognised, community-wide human rights abuses applied “consistently” across all countries of concern, it added.

The retailer also pointed out its process of delisting products from the “countries of concern” was being “completed in a way that respects existing contracts and complies with GSCOP regulations, including reasonable notice periods”.

And as for other retailers, PSC’s call for “all supermarket chains to follow suit and stand on the right side of history” is yet to be heeded by the major mults.

The BRC this week declined to be drawn on the the prospect of further boycott actions. Instead, it said supermarkets “ensure all products, in-store and online, are clearly labelled with country of origin so customers can make their own informed choice about what they would like to buy”.

But a look at current import statistics shows buying decisions – whether at consumer or retail level – may already be shifting when it comes to Israeli food and drink.

Official data compiled for The Grocer by Trade Data Monitor shows total food and agriculture imports from Israel are down 15% in value year on year [January to May].

Veg imports fell 44%, while prepared fruit, veg and nuts fell 17% and fruit dropped by 4%. However, many individual categories remain in growth, such as sauces and preparations like houmous, which experienced a 78% rise in export value.

US-brokered talks between Israel and the Palestinians over a ceasefire continued this week, though reports suggest a breakthrough is far from certain. So as the conflict drags on, the pressure to widen the boycott is only likely to intensify.