Contact supermarkets and draw their attention to concerns about Israeli settlement goods

British and Irish retailers could be undermining efforts for peace in Israel and Palestine by selling goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories including the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Settlements are Israeli civilian areas situated in territories occupied by Israel in 1967. They are illegal under international law and have been severely criticised by the United Nations and by numerous governments including those of the UK and Ireland. Various UN and human rights organisations' reports have shown that the presence of these settlements severely impairs the social and economic life of Palestinian communities.

International trade in settlement goods helps to bolster settlement economies and helps such settlements become financially viable and more permanent entities. This hinders attempts to bring a just peace to the region based on international law.

ECCR is initiating dialogue with British and Irish supermarkets on this issue. Our initial dialogue has shown that while many supermarkets are aware of this issue, only two have to date fully adopted a policy not to source produce originating in the settlements. Read a summary of our finding to date. [1]

What you can do:

Investors and customers can help raise awareness of the issue by contacting supermarkets and drawing their attention to concerns about settlement goods.

• Where the company's sourcing policy is unknown, ask them to confirm whether or not they stock settlement goods and if they do how they label them.
• Where a company has adopted a policy of not sourcing settlement goods, congratulate them on this.
• Ask companies that sell settlement products to reconsider their sourcing policy.
• Find supermarket contact details here [2], together with information about their known policies and practices.
• Use ECCR's model letter for investors [3] or customers [4] as appropriate as a basis for your own letter; adapt this if you can, because companies are more likely to give careful consideration to individually written letters.
• ECCR's guide for faith communities on Investment and Engaging with Companies [5] gives advice on how investors can raise concerns directly with companies or ask fund manager to discuss issues with companies on their behalf.
• Send ECCR copies of any correspondence and/or let us know about any dialogue you have with companies on this issue. Email Suzanne Ismail [6].
• Find out more about this issue [7].