Key Points:
- Co-op has announced it will stop sourcing relationships with countries where there are human rights abuses and violations of international law
- Members voted in favour of ceasing trading with Israel at the annual general meeting
- Products and ingredients from the 17 countries of concern will be phased out starting from June 2025
Co-op has on Tuesday announced that it will stop sourcing relationships with countries where there are internationally recognised community-wide human rights abuses and violations of international law.
Israel, Iran and Russia are part of the 17 countries of concern that have been identified from independent assessments. Other countries include: Afghanistan, Belarus, Central African Republic, North Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen.
This policy has been approved by the Co-op Group Board and coincides with the start of Co-ops Fortnight in the UK.
Earlier in May, members of the Co-op Group have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion calling on the retailer to cease all trading with Israel, with 72.8 per cent supporting the proposal at the company's annual general meeting. That motion was advisory rather than binding.
In response to the motion, the Board has indicated it was reviewing sourcing policies to ensure they reflect co-operative values and member views.
Following over a year of detailed analysis, Co-op now said it will stop sourcing products and services from specific countries based on three criteria:
- Firstly, that there is agreement across respected assessments, such as by the UN and others, that there is consistent behaviour which would constitute community-wide human rights abuses or violations of international law;
- Secondly, that the actions Co-op can take would make a difference directly or indirectly to those affected and would alleviate suffering; and
- Thirdly, that the actions Co-op can take would not negatively affect the Co-op's integrity as a commercially successful co-operative business aligned with co-operative values and principles.
Co-op’s policy states that, wherever possible, they will not use ingredients in Co-op branded products or sell whole products from the17 countries of concern.
Products and ingredients on the prohibited list are ones which are clearly and solely sourced from the country of origin and include Russian vodka, mangoes from Mali, and carrots from Israel, and will be removed from Co-op shelves and products on a phased approach, starting from this month.
“This policy, which has been developed over the past year as a part of our Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them’ campaign, 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,” Debbie White, chair of the Co-op Group Board, said.
“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.”
The Co-op has already avoided sourcing products from Israeli settlements in Palestinian Occupied Territories since 2007 following a previous member motion, and stopped ranging Russian products like Russian Standard Vodka following Ukraine's invasion.
