US grocery giant Trader Joe’s urged to drop Israeli products

Code Pink, a feminist grassroots organisation, called on Trader Joe’s this week to stop selling Israeli products, accusing the grocery chain of supporting “a system that perpetuates suffering” by stocking goods from Israel. 

The call comes amidst growing criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza and heightened international boycotts against Israeli businesses.
 
In a petition posted on their website, Code Pink demands that Trader Joe’s “stop selling Israeli products until Israel respects international law and human rights for Palestinians”.

The petition has garnered over 12,000 signatures, with supporters arguing that the grocery chain’s commitment to ethical business practices conflicts with its sale of Israeli goods.

 
The organisation lists several products they want removed from Trader Joe’s shelves, including Israeli feta cheese, Bamba puffed peanut snacks, and Dorot frozen garlic cubes. 

Protestors affiliated with Code Pink recently filmed a video in one of Trader Joe’s stores, where they were seen pulling Israeli items off shelves, referring to one section as “the genocide aisle”.
 
In the video, the protestors approached the store manager, who acknowledged their concerns but explained that merchandising decisions are made at the corporate level. 

“We, as store managers, cannot do anything about this - in terms of supplies. Trader Joe’s, as a corporation, makes merchandising decisions,” the manager said.

Middle East Eye reached out to Trader Joe's for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication. 
 
Code Pink is also planning to escalate its campaign with a protest at Trader Joe’s headquarters in Monrovia, California, on 4 November. 

In an event flier posted online, the organisation called for supporters to join them in delivering their petition to the company, stating: “We call on you, as a company that values customer input and prides itself on ethical business, to join the international campaign to boycott Israeli products.”
 
Code Pink's campaign is part of a broader movement advocating for Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. 

The group accuses the country of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and has called on corporations like Trader Joe’s to take a stand by cutting ties with Israeli suppliers.
 
The protest at Trader Joe’s headquarters is expected to draw activists from across the region as the Palestinian-led BDS movement continues to gain traction in response to the ongoing violence in Gaza.