A motion passed by owner members of the Co-op supermarket chain which could lead to Israeli products being pulled from its shelves falsely states that 186,000 people have died in Gaza.
The non-binding motion, which was supported by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), misquotes a study by the Lancet to claim that “by July 2024, it was estimated that at least 186,000 Gazans – mainly women and children – had a died as a result of the bombing, destruction of health facilities, and denial of essential aid (The Lancet 20.7.24).”
But the Lancet never stated that many had died and instead speculated that many could eventually die indirectly as a result of the conflict – an estimation which itself was widely criticised for lacking foundation.
Following backlash and widespread mischaracterisation of the 186,000 figure in the days after the study’s release last year in the Lancet, one of the authors clarified that the projected figure was “purely illustrative” and had been “greatly misquoted and misinterpreted” in public discourse.
The members voted in favour of the motion at Co-op’s annual general meeting on 17 May, with nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) supporting it.
In a statement, Co-op’s leadership noted that the motion is only advisory but confirmed that the retailer is actively reviewing its sourcing policies to ensure they “reflect both our values and principles and the views of our members, which they have made clear today”.
The review is likely to be completed towards the end of the summer, trade publications quoted a Co-op spokesperson as saying, at which point Israeli products could be taken off the convenience giant’s shelves.
The Co-operative UK, which operates nearly 2,400 stores in the UK and supplies products to over 6,000 additional outlets through its wholesale division, is the fifth-largest food retailer in the country.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) also found several other false statements in the motion passed by Co-op’s members, including that it claims the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Israel “has a ‘plausible case to answer’ for genocide, when the court made no such ruling,” UKLFI said.
UKLFI Chief Executive Jonathan Turner said: “Ceasing all trade with Israel, as proposed in the motion, while continuing to trade with many other countries involved in armed conflicts or engaging in very serious violations of human rights, would constitute racist discrimination against Israel. Passing this motion and giving effect to it would endorse its false and defamatory allegations against Israel, inciting hatred towards Israelis and Jews who are associated with the only Jewish State."
A spokesperson for the Co-op said: “The motion was put forward by an individual member and was valid under the rules of the Society. As a democratic organisation, our members were given the opportunity to vote on the motion at our AGM and it was subsequently passed. The motion is advisory and not binding on the Board.
“Periodically we review our sourcing policy to ensure we get value for our members and that the places we source from align with our values and principles. Any changes to our sourcing policies need to be carefully considered. Our Board listens to the views of members and when taking decisions, will always act in the best interests of our Co-op and our wider membership.”
