Pro-Palestine activists have been sticking spoof ‘apartheid’ pricing labels by pots of Israeli hummus in British supermarkets, saying customers buying the dip are ‘supporting genocide’.
Images shared to social media show Sabra hummus being sold with a fake label reading: ‘Apartheid Hummus. Buying this product helps support genocide. Since £19.48 Search BDS for more info.’
Claiming responsibility for the stunt, Darren Cullen, who supports anti-Israel BDS movement – which stands for boycott, divestment and sanctions – made the fake price tags available to download and says he plans to make them for a range of other products.
They have been spotted at various Sainsbury’s and Tesco retailers across the UK.
The group calls for supporters to put ‘pressure’ on companies that are perceived as being supportive of Israel.
It claims on its website that the Sabra brand previously supported the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) with donations.
The campaign’s website states: ‘Sabra hummus is a joint venture between PepsiCo and the Strauss Group, an Israeli food company that provides financial support to the Israeli army.’
However, according to UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), BDS’s website refers to a Sabra brand sold in the US.
The Sabra hummus sold in the UK is made by the Israeli kibbutz, Lohamei Hagheta’ot, the Warsaw ghetto uprising, and distributed by Osem, which is now owned by Nestlé, they say.
The hummus is available in several major supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose.
UKLFI said they have reported Mr Cullen to the police ‘for fraud and for interference with goods with the intention of causing economic loss contrary to s38 of the Public Order Act 1986’.
They added: ‘The first labels Mr Cullen printed were designed for Sainsburys shelves, and he has now also produced Tesco shelf labels.
‘He has stated on his website that he intends to produce labels for various supermarkets, and then for different products listed on the BDS website.
‘UKLFI has written to the four major supermarkets that sell Sabra Hummus, to warn them to be alert for these labels, and to remove them quickly.’
Pro-Palestine activists have been sticking spoof ‘apartheid’ pricing labels by pots of Israeli hummus
Images shared to social media show Sabra hummus being sold with a fake label
