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Pressure mounts on Pret to ditch deal with apartheid Israel

January 14, 2023 at 10:59 am

Sign for the food brand Pret A Manger in Birmingham, United Kingdom. [photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images]

Pret A Manger is facing increasing pressure to scrap plans to launch its popular coffee chain in apartheid Israel. FOA has launched the #PretAPartheid campaign in response to the recent announcement and in the last few days Pret’s social media platforms have been inundated with messages of protest with hundreds emailing Pret CEO Pano Christou in the last 48 hours.

Last month the London-based coffee chain announced plans to open more than 40 branches in the apartheid state over the next 10 years. So far Pret has entered into a non-binding agreement with two Israeli companies, with final agreements due to be signed by March.

Pret’s announcement has met with indignation, it being a clear sign of support for Israel’s apartheid regime and ongoing violations of international law. Last year Israel was condemned as an apartheid state by Amnesty International, who joined Human Rights Watch and the UN Special Rapporteur in confirming what Palestinians have said for decades about Israel’s inhumane system of oppression and domination.

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The #PretAPartheid campaign urges individuals to take a firm stand against Pret’s disregard for Palestinian human rights. The campaign points out that on its website, the company claims to serve fresh food and coffee whilst ‘trying to do the right thing’. But “opening branches in an apartheid state is doing the wrong thing” reads the campaign letter to Pano Christou.

It is hoped that Pret will follow in the footsteps of ice cream giant Ben and Jerry’s, who in 2021 halted the sale of their products in the occupied West Bank, citing that Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid regime was “inconsistent” with the company’s values.

“By opening stores in Israel, Pret would be complicit in Israeli human rights abuses” says Shamiul Joarder, Head of Public Affairs at FOA.

“Pret claims that being ethical is one of its ‘core values’ but supporting a state that repeatedly violates international law and targets and kills children isn’t ethical.

On every sandwich Pret has a sticker asking for feedback… hundreds of people have now given them feedback and asked them not to support apartheid – where is their response?”

FOA has reached out to Pret for comment but hasn’t received a reply.

Follow the movement on socials with #PretAPartheid.

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