British retail chain Marks & Spencer (M&S) has opened an investigation after stickers calling for a boycott of Israeli products were placed on packages of potatoes imported from Israel at one of its branches in Worthing, West Sussex.
The case came to light after a customer who bought a 1.5-kg. package of Maris Piper potatoes noticed that the package, marked as originating in Israel, had been labeled with a sticker in the colors of the Palestinian flag bearing the words, “Boycott Israeli Apartheid.” The sticker also included the website address of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, one of the leading organizations in Britain promoting consumer boycotts of Israeli products.
The UK Lawyers for Israel organization (UKLFI), which reported the incident, wrote to the chain’s CEO, Stuart Machin, demanding that the company investigate the matter.
The group said placing stickers on products could amount to unlawful interference with trade and an offense under British law if the goal was to discourage consumers from buying the products and cause financial harm.
Lawyers warn of potential BDS attempts against kosher products
In the letter, the lawyers asked the company to warn all of its employees against similar attempts, especially against Israeli or kosher products, and to report the matter to police if those responsible are identified.
M&S said in response that it conducts routine checks on products in its stores and that employees would be asked to remain alert for any signs of interference with products. According to the company, “it appears that one of the products was tampered with without our knowledge.” It added that the branch manager had opened an inquiry into the incident and that any information gathered would be passed on to the relevant authorities.
UKLFI welcomed the chain’s decision to open an investigation. “Political activists have no right to interfere with products sold in supermarkets in order to intimidate customers or harm trade in Israeli products,” the group said.
Objectionable potatoes originally English, grown for British market
It should be noted that the Maris Piper potato variety in question, sold in the package, is not an Israeli variety but an old British variety developed in England in the 1960s. Israel grows it for export, mainly for the British market, thanks to climate conditions that allow supplies during seasons when the local crop in Britain is limited.
Potatoes of this variety have a light skin, cream-colored flesh, and a relatively high starch content. They are particularly suitable for french fries, baked potatoes, and mashed potatoes, and for years have been considered one of the most popular varieties in Britain.
M&S is one of Britain’s oldest and best-known retail chains. It is identified mainly with clothing and home goods, but also with high-quality food. The chain continues to market agricultural produce from Israel, including fruit, vegetables, and other products, although in recent years it has occasionally been the focus of campaigns by pro-Palestinian organizations calling for a boycott of products originating in Israel.