Report: French Supermarkets Mislabeling Israeli Products to Avoid Boycotts

Date: 14 November 2023 - 21:53

News ID: ۱۲۱۴۵۰

PARIS (Dispatches) – Lidl supermarkets in France are facing criticism for allegedly attempting to conceal the true origin of Israeli products and avoid boycotts, local media reported during the weekend.
According to reports, French netizens have raised concerns about Lidl labeling Israeli avocados and pomegranates as African or even Spanish. Photos shared on social media, including X (formerly Twitter), displayed both the original labels and those added by the store, providing evidence of the alleged misrepresentation, with some users referring to it as “a scandal at Lidl.”
“The item is supposed to come from Morocco according to its label, but after examining it, it turns out that the real origin is Israel,” stated one user.
A similar account from another user at a Lidl in Vallauris claimed, “Avocados from Morocco on the store label, and on the avocado, an Israeli label... I think there are plenty of stores doing this to sell their stocks.” Similar discrepancies have reportedly been observed in Auchan and Carrefour stores.
While some instances of mislabeling were reported before the Gaza conflict, their frequency allegedly increased when Israeli hostilities began in early October, coinciding with heightened calls from pro-Palestinian activists to boycott Israel-linked goods. Some users suspect that stores intentionally misrepresented products of Israeli origin to encourage continued customer purchases.
In response to the allegations, Schwarz Group, the owner of Lidl stores, dismissed the claims, attributing the mislabeling to “a display error, due to the fact that we regularly have avocados and pomegranates from different sources on the shelves.”
Regarding the situation in the Middle East, Schwarz Group expressed dismay, stating, “In view of the recent events in the Middle East, we are observing the situation with great concern. Schwarz Group companies reject all forms of violence. Our thoughts are with the victims of the conflict,” as reported by the company’s press service.