UK Supermarkets and Zimbabwe…
I noticed this article online a few weeks ago http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7482383.stm and it talks about Tesco in particular, and other British supermarkets pulling out of deals with Zimbabwe.
Putting the economic problems of Zimbabwe to one side, it has been well documented that a large part of the population is starving. Is it therefore right, that BIG western companies actually import food from this country? Surely there is a serious ethical issue here? Tesco are taking food from the starving, to feed the full westerners?
I would also question the economic impact of this. Surely with inflation in Zimbabwe at a reported 2,200,000% the actual cost of importing food from Zimbabwe would be tiny, however with food prices across the world increasing, has this saving been passed onto customers in the UK? Probably not!
I may well be totally wrong, and I hope I am, but I would feel that any relationship Food Superstores have with Zimbabwe are financially motivated, rather than trying to help the country. If governments want to impose sanctions on the Zimbabwean Government then surely severe penalties should be brought against companies who are profiting from the exploitation of Zimbabwe, a country that cannot feed itself, exporting cheap goods to the western world.
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