Tesco Selling Turtles for food.... Should we boycot them???

[bjherp]

Just thought we should point out a news report that was on BBC news a few minutes ago.

Teso the supermarket giant have just opened their first store in Beijing, China. Included on the shelves as well as UK products like Mint Sauce and Sage & Onion Stuffing, TESCO are selling live Turtles for food.

Bearing in mind the world decline in turtle numbers, do you think this is a good move by the Super Market Giant.

IS it worth letting Tesco know our disgust at this Unnecessary & potentially very harmful trade.

The story can be seen,
BBC NEWS | Business | Tesco opens own-brand China store

There is no mention of the turtles on here but was mentioned on BBC news 24, and will no doubt filter through later.

Let Tesco know your feelings
Tesco.com - Help

WHAT are peoples comments on this?

Reptilekeeping.com

[Pimperella]

I'm disappointed in Tescos.

I'll stick with Co-op and their non support of animal crimes or human abuse. Here and overseas.

[skimpy]

This is not good. Maybe i am being silly, but why sell them live anyway, let alone at all.

I mean prawns, shrimp and lobster are all sold prekilled,

OK I am being dumb

[Nerys]

this came up back in october 2006 on LF

How Tesco Make A Killing... - Livefood UK Forum

where it was seen on a 'Care for the Wild International' winter newsletter by one of the members..

care for the wild also had an online petion on their site

"Log on to Care For The Wild International and sign their petition"

Before launching this campaign, Care for the Wild International spent weeks liaising with Tesco, detailing the horrendous animal welfare problems turtles, tortoises, frogs and fish are forced to endure as a result of slaughter, capture, holding, transport and commercial farming. But Tesco believes that as long as people in China are willing to purchase these animals for the pot, the company will not impose western welfare standards. Instead Tesco wants to fund more research on slaughter methods. Expert on pain perception already agree that killing turtles humanely without drugs is not easy. We don’t need more research to tell us that. Moreover, many Chinese customers buy the animals alive to kill them at home, which doesn’t help. Nor does the fact that China still has no animal welfare laws.

Suspending ethical notions when it is convenient and tied to profit is unacceptable. We all know what would happen if Tesco was to sell or butcher live turtles, frogs and fish in its almost 2,000 UK stores, on which the company depends financially. But just because China is a long way away and because turtles aren’t as cute as kittens, they think no one will care. It is apparent that only a dip in its bank balance will convince Tesco to stop these morally offensive activities.

Background: Millions of turtles, tortoises and frogs are mutilated or boiled alive for food in China. Turtles are a luxury food, not a source of protein for the poor, but as a result of excessive demand, wild populations have declined dramatically. The holding facilities and slaughter of animals from industrial “farms” intended to augment disappearing populations is no less cruel and still relies on animals being stolen from their natural habitat. Apart from the barbaric notion of offering turtles and tortoises as food items, it is the conditions in which these poor animals are transported and kept in the supermarket itself that is beyond the pale.

Tesco claims that the turtles sold in its stores are farmed, as if this somehow makes the activity less horrendous. Despite receiving detailed information from Care for the Wild International describing the conservation and welfare horrors that are linked to this business, Tesco is unwilling to give up its involvement in a trade that causes immense pain and misery and would force it to part with a tiny fraction of its £33.6 billion in annual profits that live turtles sales represent.

This is not the first time Tesco has come under fire for selling wild animals. In 2004 the company sold whale meat in its Japanese outlets until pressure from conservation groups and consumers persuaded it to stop.

Tesco prides itself on listening to its customers. According to its Corporate Responsibility Policy, "Tesco is committed to conducting business in an ethical and socially responsible manner. … Tesco aspires to high standards of animal welfare and best industry practice in its supply base. We use up-to-date knowledge of research, ethics, scientific facts and legislation to ensure that this happens. This is what our customers expect."
Care for the Wild and the Tortoise Trust therefore appeal to all Tesco customers to tell the company that selling live turtles and tortoises is cruel and inhumane and – no matter where on the map.
What you can do:

1. Write to Tesco (Tesco Corporate Responsibility Department, Tesco House, PO Box 44, Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Herts, EN8 9SL) and tell them that:
2. You will not shop at their stores or use their services such as petrol, credit cards and insurance until they discontinue sales of live reptiles, fish and amphibians in their Chinese stores.
3. Include your shredded Tesco Club Card for good measure! Perhaps even send the accrued fund on your Tesco loyalty card to Care for the Wild to support this campaign or make a donation.
4. Spread the word amongst your family and friends and contact Care for the Wild to receive leaflets for distribution to caring consumers.
5. Sign our on-line petition, Care For The Wild International
6. download a printed version from our website or phone or write to us for a copy.

Contact Tesco: Tesco Corporate Responsibility Department, Tesco House, PO Box 44, Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Herts, EN8 9SL or email customer.service@tesco.co.uk

Every little helps in this campaign. Each potential Tesco customer who supports this initiative will make a difference.

[SilverSteno]

Read about this a while ago, ASDA-Walmart are also doing the same. Personally I think their animal welfare standards should be upheld otherwise if they aren't prepared to make a stand and not allow animals to suffer in their stores then how on earth are people's animal welfare views in those countries going to change in the first place? It's cowardly of them to not stand for an animal welfare practice that is clearly written out in their code of practice or something just to make a profit. If they actually believed in their code and genuinely valued it, they would stick to it regardless of where in the world their store was located. Saying that though, I don't personally think that the meat Tesco's and ASDA et al sell cheaply in this country (as in the smart price goods) are from animals treated to a high standard of welfare/environmental practices either.

[Athravan]

Originally Posted by skimpy

This is not good. Maybe i am being silly, but why sell them live anyway, let alone at all.

I mean prawns, shrimp and lobster are all sold prekilled,

OK I am being dumb

I spent most of last year living in Boston in the USA and the Wal-Marts there (that is the company that owns ASDA over here) all sell large live lobsters in the supermarkets. I think it is quite common in a few countries to sell lobsters live from supermarkets. I couldn't stand going in there and seeing them and seeing the guy just plucking one out to put in a tub to sell.

[BELIAL]

I think most of chinas eating habits are disgusting (baby birds cooked alive on their eggs, guinea pigs, snake blood straight out of freshly killed cobras, dogs beaten with sticks in little cages then cooked cos the more scared they are the better they taste) and the turtle thing is just as bad.

however, hindus can't understand how we treat cows and eat them, we boil lobsters and crabs alive, and treat chickens in some nasty nasty ways. It's all about culture.

Do i think tesco should sell live turtles? Hell no, but everywhere animals are exploited but humans in some form or another and tesco are just doing what the chinese think of as normal. for them it's like going and getting some bacon of the shelf..(expensive bacon)

it's a different world...poor little turtles

[bloodxonxyourxhands]

i dont know how i feel on this tbh. no - i dont condone the sale of live animals for food, but what we must remember is that its a very different culture, and if tesco dont sell live turtles, everywhere else will carry on selling live turtles.

agreed, it is in-humane, but the entire country of china will sell turtles - shall we go campaign against those too? yes i prefer reptiles over other species, but i think selling live fish and crustaceans is just as bad and thats done all over the world, without mass uproar

well thats my two-cents (and for the record - i'm a veggie so dont like eating animals of any kind)

[DeanThorpe]

Ok.. if iys part of= thier culture i agree...that we cannot think too badly of the foriegners...

BUT...Tesco are a..er..english? company...its not part of the shareholders general culture and they DO know its well... i cant say wrong but...

They dont think its ok yet still are doing it is what im trying to say which is what is really wrong, and in this case its 100% obvious simply due to money.. which again says a lot [although not suprising ofcourse and fair game] this shoudl reflect whether they are allowed to do so.

[Blazey]

i complained to them. Its an absolute disgrace. Turtles are going to eventually die out if action isnt taken to conserve them and tescos are practically adding to the eventual negative outcome!