PRESS STATEMENT: Consumer Commission launches investigation into Woolworths Israeli labels

See attached for an NCC investigation memorandum approved and recommended by National Consumer Comissioner Mr Ebrahim Mohamed and Deputy NCC Comissioner Ms Thezi Mabuza.

The human rights and Palestine solidarity organization BDS South Africa together with other #BoycottWoolworths activists intend on raising these practices of false-labelling of Israeli products, amongst other issues, at the upcoming Woolworths AGM on the 30th of November.

Several BDS South Africa and NC4P members are "activist-shareholders" at Woolworths. Last year at the launch of the #BoycottWoolworths campaign activists bought a single share each in Woolworths Holdings Limited in order to gain access to the company’s AGM. Click here for a Business Day article from last year's Woolworths AGM that BDS activists had attended.

In August 2014 a call for the complete boycott of Woolworths until it ends its Israeli trade links was made by BDS South Africa, COSATU, ANC Youth League, MJC, SACP, YCL and various others including the National Coalition 4 Palestine (a coalition consisting of more than 30 organizations, trade unions and other groups). Last year, a survey of over 3000 people found that found that Woolworths was losing close to R8 million a month due to the #BoycottWoolworths campaign. The #BoycottWoolworths campaign is inspired by the anti-apartheid boycott movement of the 1980s against companies that traded with Apartheid South Africa and forms part of the larger international non-violent boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel movement.

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There have been several other instances of false-labeling of Israeli products at Woolworths Stores. As the NCC investigation unfolds, we urge members of the public to share such examples of mis-labelling with us and the NCC . Click here for another example of alleged Israeli mislablling at Woolworths.

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BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL IN SOUTH AFRICA (BDS SOUTH AFRICA)

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