Activists hail big BDS win as UK's Co-op supermarket votes to cut trade with Israel

Members of top British supermarket chain Co-op have overwhelmingly backed a motion to halt trade with Israel and remove "all Israeli products off the shelves"- a move activists have hailed as a major turning point in the long-running campaign against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land. 

According to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) on Saturday, three-quarters of Co-op members voted in support of the chain to cease all trading with Israel in line with the organisation’s ongoing 'Don’t Buy Apartheid' campaign and the broader Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. 

They urged the board to "show moral courage and leadership."

The 'Don't Buy Apartheid' campaign calls for a boycott of all Israeli produce and major brands such as Coca-Cola and its subsidiaries, including Schweppes, Sprite, and Fanta.

In a previous statement, PSC claimed these companies were "supporting Israel’s land theft and ethnic cleansing".

With 73% of members voting for the motion, both members and pro-Palestine activists urged that the UK supermarket chain enforces the motion and ensure that Israeli goods are removed from its shelves nationwide.

Members in support of the motion had also noted that the Co-op previously led the way in boycotting Russian goods in March 2022, in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine, and called on the chain to apply the same "ethical values and principles" to Israel. 

While the chain has previously released a statement affirming its commitment not to source products from illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, PSC said after the vote that "any trade with Israeli agricultural exporters supports their role as participants in Israel’s colonisation and military occupation of Palestinian land".

Paul Neill, a leading British activist who helped push the motion forward, expressed optimism that the Co-op would adopt the measure.

"We are delighted to say that the motion was passed by a clear majority of Co-op members, reflecting widespread condemnation among the British public for the actions of Israel," he said in a statement. 

"This is a historic moment for a UK supermarket chain and sets a precedent for other supermarkets and retailers."

Lewis Backon, PSC's campaigns officer, also welcomed the outcome, stating: "Meaningful solidarity actions could not be more urgent as Palestinians continue to face Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip, and its military attacks, land grabs and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank."

"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."

The Co-op Group confirmed the outcome in a public statement: "At our AGM on 17 May 2025, a members’ motion on trading with Israel passed."

It continued: "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."

The development marks a broader shift in public support for justice for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation and apartheid- particularly following the outbreak of the Gaza war, which has killed over 53,000 Palestinians and triggered global outrage. 

According to rights groups, the conflict has resulted in some of the highest known death tolls among children, journalists, and health and humanitarian workers of any war in recent history. 

In the UK, solidarity with Palestine has grown, with activists targeting major British banks such as Barclays, local government pension funds, and universities over ties to Israel. 

Israel is also facing increased international pressure to lift its aid blockade, reinforced in March, as UN agencies warn of catastrophic shortages of food, clean water, fuel, and medicine. 

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened significantly since Israel resumed its offensive following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire in March.