Tesco China’s sale of live turtles must stop!
What is the current state of play? Tesco’s own ethical policy statements include claims of concern for animal welfare, and a commitment to achieving sustainability throughout its supply chains. When challenged at Tesco’s shareholders AGM in 2008, Sir Terence Leahy claimed that any future sale of live turtles would be based on “sound science”. Evidence from CWI investigations in Tesco China stores during 2010 has revealed that: Live turtles are displayed adjacent to tanks of ice. The cooling of the turtles’ environment in this way is likely to be detrimental to their welfare. Contrary to Tesco’s stated policy, Chinese soft shelled turtles are not the only species being offered for sale in Chinese stores. Contrary to Tesco’s stated policy, store staff indicated that different methods of slaughter could be used depending on the customer’s requirements. CWI has also accumulated evidence to show that the farming of turtles in China is not sustainable and is damaging to wild populations. The sale of live turtles to the public also presents a significant public health risk.
Key facts: Tesco PLC is the UK’s largest retailer Contrary to Tesco’s stated policy, Chinese soft shelled turtles are not the only species being offered for sale in Chinese stores Tesco stocks and sells live turtles in its Chinese stores. Turtles are purchased live by the customer for slaughter at home, or slaughtered in-store Tesco claims it only stocks farmed specimens of the Chinese softshell turtle Pelodiscus sinensis for sale in its Chinese stores Tesco claims it operates a standardized in-store slaughter policy involving decapitation followed by immediate crushing of the skull
What is CWI doing? CWI, with the support of international scientific and veterinary experts and authorities, has long condemned the practice of selling live turtles on the grounds that it is detrimental to the welfare and conservation of the turtle species concerned. CWI believes that the sale of live turtles contravenes Tesco’s own ethical standards, and that contrary to assurances made by Chief Executive Sir Terry Leahy at Tesco’s Shareholders’ AGM in 2008, the procurement and marketing of turtles by Tesco in China is not supported by “sound science”. CWI argues that the continued sale of more than one species of live turtle of varied reported origin in Tesco’s Chinese stores, the methods of display of live turtles in-store, and the indicated variability in in-store slaughter methodology, is damaging to the welfare and conservation status of freshwater turtles, and therefore contravenes Tesco’s own ethical standards. CWI believes Tesco China’s behavior is unhelpful to the ongoing process of development of animal protection and welfare legislation in China, and represents British business in a poor light. CWI continues to lobby Tesco and tries to increase public awareness of this issue.
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