Tesco cuts trade ties over Mugabe regime

TESCO IRELAND has become the first major retailer to stop buying produce from Zimbabwe.

In a statement issued yesterday, Tesco UK said that though its purchases from the African state were worth just £1 million per year “in the current circumstances” it had decided to stop sourcing any product from Zimbabwe.

This would remain Tesco’s policy “as long as the political crisis persists in that country”.

They said it was a difficult decision to take.

“However, we cannot ignore the escalating political crisis in Zimbabwe, and the growing consensus in the international community – including from UK politicians on all sides – that further action must be taken to maximise the pressure for change.”

A spokesman said Tesco Ireland stocked few products from Zimbabwe.

“It’s a very small number of products – runner beans, fine beans and mange tout would be about it. They won’t be coming in from Zimbabwe anymore and won’t be available on the shelves from the next few days.”

In its statement, Tesco said it was committed to supporting its suppliers in Zimbabwe, however.

“We also attach a very high priority to ensuring that this decision does least harm to the workers and their dependants who have supplied us from Zimbabwe. We cannot continue to support them through trade, but are urgently finding ways to support them by other means.

“We will keep this situation under review. Our aim is to re-engage with our suppliers and their workers once stability, and an internationally-recognised regime, have returned to the country.”

There were no Zimbabwe vegetables for sale yesterday in Tesco in the Jervis Centre in Dublin’s city-centre.

The fine beans in stock were from Kenya, organic green beans were from Egypt, while sugar snap peas had been sourced in Zambia.

Similarly in Marks and Spencer none of the stock had been sourced in Zimbabwe, with mange tout, sugar snap peas and fine beans all from Kenya.

Stores other than Tesco – Dunnes Stores, Supervalu, Superquinn and Marks and Spencer - did not comment when asked whether they were considering a similar move to Tesco.

Zimbabwe national unity government called for: page 12