Boycotts Work: Stay the Course

Co-op votes to boycott Israel
Rob White
Sat, May 17, 2025


Palestine Solidarity Campaign said the vote to boycott Israeli products showed Co-op members would not support Israel’s apartheid economy - Guy Bell/Alamy Live News

The Co-op could stop selling Israeli products as soon as this summer after its members voted for a boycott.

Three-quarters of voters backed a motion urging the board to show “moral courage and leadership” by removing Israeli products from its shelves.

Responding to the result, the Co-op announced at its annual general meeting that the motion was advisory, but confirmed it was reviewing its sourcing policy.

Pressure group Palestine Solidarity Campaign said it showed Co-op members would not support Israel’s “apartheid economy”.

Co-op members demanded a cease to all trading with Israel in a motion put forward last month, saying it had “completely destroyed Gaza”.

It also said that Co-op had been the first supermarket to boycott Russian products in March 2022 and requested that it show the same “ethical principles and values” towards Israel.

UK Lawyers for Israel, a voluntary organisation of legal professionals, responded to the Co-op group secretary asking for it to be withdrawn.

It said: “A non-binding motion to take all Israeli products off the shelves of Co-op stores contains false and defamatory statements, promotes racial hatred of Israelis and Jews, and should be rejected under the Co-op’s rules.”

But the motion was allowed and members were invited to vote before the group’s annual general meeting on May 17.

The results showed it had passed with 73 per cent of voters in favour, compared to 27 per cent against.

Co-op had been the first supermarket to boycott Russian products in March 2022 - Anna Gordon/Reuters

Lewis Backon, of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said the motion must be implemented.

He said: “The Co-op AGM vote shows ordinary people in this country are committed to the cause of justice and freedom for Palestine in their everyday lives and refuse to support Israel’s apartheid economy.

“The Co-op must now listen to its members and implement the motion by taking all Israeli goods off the shelves.”

Co-op has previously confirmed it had not sourced products from Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, which include Gaza and the West Bank, since 2007.

A Co-op spokesman said: “At our AGM on May 17, 2025, a members’ motion on trading with Israel has passed.

“Whilst the motion is advisory, we are currently reviewing our sourcing policies, which we do from time to time. This is to ensure they reflect both our values and principles and the views of our members, which they have made clear today.

“We expect our review on the sourcing policy to complete towards the end of the summer.”