British retailer M&S launches investigation after anti-Israel stickers placed on potato packages

British retailer Marks & Spencer has launched an investigation after anti-Israel boycott stickers were discovered on potato packages originating from Israel at a store in Worthing, West Sussex.

The incident came to light when a customer purchased a package of Maris Piper potatoes, marked as Israeli-grown, which bore a sticker in the colors of the Palestinian flag. The sticker proclaimed, "Boycott Israeli Apartheid," and directed consumers to the website of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, a prominent UK organization advocating for boycotts of Israeli goods.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) contacted M&S CEO Stuart Machin, demanding a thorough investigation. The group argued that affixing stickers to products could constitute unlawful interference with trade and a violation of British law if intended to deter consumers and cause financial harm. UKLFI also requested that M&S warn employees about such attempts, particularly concerning Israeli or kosher products, and report any identified perpetrators to the police.

“

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.

M&S stated that it conducts routine product checks and will instruct employees to be vigilant for product tampering. The company acknowledged that one product appeared to have been tampered with without their knowledge and confirmed that the branch manager initiated an inquiry, with any findings to be shared with authorities. UKLFI welcomed the investigation, asserting that political activists have no right to interfere with supermarket products to intimidate customers or harm trade.

Notably, the Maris Piper potato variety, while grown in Israel for export to the UK market during off-seasons, is an old British variety developed in England in the 1960s. It is a popular choice in Britain, particularly for fries, baked potatoes, and mash, due to its light skin, cream-colored flesh, and high starch content.

“

Political activists have no right to interfere with products sold in supermarkets in order to intimidate customers or harm trade in Israeli products.