reply i got to my email to tesco
Thank you for your email.
We are very concerned when our customers or other members of the public
highlight issues in our international stores or our supply chain with which they
are unhappy. We will always look closely at these issues.
Tesco entered the Chinese market in September 2004, acquiring a 50 per cent
stake in the Hymall business, which was an existing chain of hypermarkets based
in Shanghai. When entering a new market, our preference is to work with existing
retailers who understand the needs and tastes of local customers.
The sale of live animals is commonplace throughout China and Asia. As you may
be aware, turtles and frogs are a traditional and popular part of the diet in
China, consumed widely alongside other meats. They are regularly used in dishes
such as soups and stews and are therefore sold by most food retailers in the
country.
We are aware that this may be one of a number of habits and tastes that do not
translate easily to Western culture, and that some people in this country may
find them difficult to accept. We believe, however, that it would be wrong to
automatically impose our values on other countries, regardless of local feeling,
attitudes and tradition.
We do of course recognise that the importance of upholding cultural differences
needs to be balanced against other priorities such as food safety, animal
welfare or environmental sustainability. We go beyond the regulatory
requirements to achieve high standards on each of these issues, so:
* The animals undergo an official inspection before they are sold, and we work
hard to maintain the highest hygiene standards in our stores. As with other
fresh products, such as poultry and meat, the animals are kept separate to avoid
cross-contamination with other products. It is legal to keep these animals live
for sale, and customers ask to see them being prepared, which staff are trained
to do.
* The turtles and frogs that Hymall sells are reared on farms for food
production. They are not caught in the wild. They are therefore sourced in a
sustainable way and do not cause damage to endangered populations.
* Our Standard Operating Procedures require that the animals are slaughtered in
ways that minimise the risk of suffering. In light of your feedback, and
comments from customers, animal welfare charities and others, we are looking at
whether we can make improvements to our policies and procedures in this area so
that we can even better reflect our commitment to maintaining animal welfare
throughout our business.
We are complying with all the standards set in China. However, we recognise that
these differ from those that we are used to in the UK. By taking the approach I
have outlined, we are seeking to balance demand from our Chinese customers for
the sale of live turtles and frogs with our responsibilities and commitment as a
UK-based international retailer to high standards of ethical behaviour.
I hope this helps to answer your concerns and I would like to thank you for
taking the time to write to us.
If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us at
[email protected] quoting TES2992567X.
Kind Regards
Sue Shearer
Tesco Customer Service