British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has launched an investigation after anti-Israel boycott stickers were placed on packages of potatoes imported from Israel at one of its stores in Worthing, West Sussex.
The incident came to light after a customer purchased a 1.5-kilogram bag of Maris Piper potatoes and noticed that the package, labeled as a product of Israel, had been covered with a sticker in the colors of the Palestinian flag bearing the message "Boycott Israeli Apartheid." The sticker also displayed the website of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, one of the UK's leading organizations promoting consumer boycotts of Israeli products.
The case was reported by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which called on M&S Chief Executive Stuart Machin to investigate the incident. The organization argued that tampering with products in an attempt to discourage consumers from purchasing them and cause economic harm could constitute a criminal offense under British law.
In its letter to the retailer, UKLFI urged the company to warn employees about similar incidents, particularly involving Israeli or kosher products, and to notify police if those responsible are identified.
Marks & Spencer said it carries out routine product inspections in its stores and has instructed staff to remain alert for any signs of product tampering.
"It appears that one of the products was interfered with without our knowledge," the company said in a statement. It added that the store manager has launched an internal investigation and that any relevant findings will be passed on to the appropriate authorities.
UKLFI welcomed the retailer's decision to investigate, stating, "Political activists have no right to interfere with products sold in supermarkets in order to intimidate customers or disrupt trade in Israeli goods."
Although the potatoes were imported from Israel, the Maris Piper variety itself is not Israeli. It is a British potato cultivar developed in England in the 1960s. Israel grows the variety for export - particularly to the UK - thanks to its climate, which allows supplies during periods when British domestic production is limited.
Marks & Spencer, one of the UK's best-known retail chains, continues to stock Israeli agricultural produce, including fruits, vegetables, and other food products, despite periodic boycott campaigns by pro-Palestinian groups targeting goods originating from Israel.