On June 24, the UK-based Co-op announced a new sourcing policy that will phase out products and ingredients from countries identified by the international community as responsible for widespread human rights abuses or violations of international law.
Among the items to be removed from shelves are mangoes from Mali and carrots from Israel, which the Co-op confirmed are clearly and solely sourced from those countries. The changes will be implemented gradually, starting in June 2025.
The move follows over a year of internal review and member consultation as part of the retailer's "Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them" campaign. The policy aims to align sourcing with co-operative values and uphold international human rights standards.
Co-op's board stated the decision was based on three criteria: International consensus on human rights violations, the potential for Co-op's actions to reduce harm, and consistency with the business's ethical commitments.
For more information:
Co-op
Tel: +44 (0) 800 0686 727
www.coop.co.uk