Tesco's Cruelty to Live Turtles & Frogs?
I was shocked to discover that Tesco is selling live animals for consumption in its stores in China.
For those of you who don't know, China is a country where dogs, cats and other animals, destined for the dinner plates of the growing ranks of the nouveau riche, are routinely skinned alive after being stabbed in their genitals. I should know, my family lived there for a year. A popular way of killing turtles, which Tesco is selling live trussed up in sealed bags, is to cut them out of their shells alive. In China there are no animal welfare laws and no regulations. Anything goes.
I am appalled that Tesco is cashing in on this cruelty. And before you reach for the patronising letter template explaining how it is wrong to impose our values on others, let me ask you if Tesco would consider selling child porn in countries where paedophilia was legal? Of course not. Then why stack petrified animals on shelves like they are tins of beans?
Of course, as a company driven by profit and not by morals, you will probably take the view that upsetting a few of your European customers is worth the headway you think you will make by pleasing customers in the world's fastest growing economy. You may be right, of course, but some of us have morals. And for that reason I shall not be shopping at Tesco while it continues to sell live animals for consumption. So please, no more vouchers sent to my partner in a bid to tempt us back to your Slough store.
A copy of this letter together with my address is in the post so you can take us off your mailing list. I will also be telling all my friends and family not to shop in your stores and shall be posting leaflets to neighbours.
Sincerely, Ms L de Sousa
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External Links: Tortoise Trust Asian Turtle Crisis Tescopoly Article Asian Animal Protection Network
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Another day and another story of how Tesco are mistreating people, animals or pretty much anything to make some more money.
if this was happening in Britain, I could understand your anger. But this happens in a country where this practice is common-place! There is nothing immoral about it, unless you feel the entire country of China is immoral.
Im sorry Sarah but we cannot agree with your sentiment that to condemn Tesco's cruelty to live animals in China is akin to condemning the entire country. What China does domestically is largely it's own affair but what a UK company does in China is of concern to that company's shareholders and customers right here in the UK. We may never see this happening but we know now that it is.
If you spend 10 minutes reading the links above about this and looking at some of the pictures you will be sickened that a british company is participating in this. Tesco will lose british customers because of this. Email this entire post to family and friends using the "Email Post" icon above.
With reference to Helen Duke and her email which appears on The Tortoise Trust site: The Tortoise Trust may be interested to note that the lady writing to them from Tesco is the infamous Helen Duke who is very capable of making errors and ignoring facts - hence she appears in our "Roll of Dishonour" left sidebar. We would not recommend that you take Helen Duke's words as having any real competence or authority behind them. It may be good practice for you to insist (perhaps repeatedly) for a written response from Terry Leahy. Given past experience you will eventually get one although it may take several requests insisting on this.
Tesco treat their customers like the simple folk HG Wells wrote about in the Time Machine: gullible fools who don't ask any questions about where their food comes from or how their clothes are made while their fellow human beings are happily put out of business and exploited. And, contrary to Sarah's post, what Tesco PLC does in China, is my business. As the original complainant pointed out, Tesco, a UK company, would not be selling child porn in a country where paedophilia was legal. Or would it?
I think for "Ms L de Sousa" to make bigoted generalisations against the people of China and their eating habits is totally abhorant. I have family who are of Chinese origin and also many friends and find her comments, particulary "...For those of you who don't know, China is a country where dogs, cats and other animals, destined for the dinner plates of the growing ranks of the nouveau riche...." TOTALLY OFFENSIVE! I dont know any Chinese people who eat dogs and cats. I have asked many friends from mainland China about this and they confirm that the eating of turtles etc is not exactly common. I think this whole issue has been blown out of proportion and just another example of the West believing they have the moral high ground over another country or culture. People's views and beliefs will differ greatly all over the world, what is considered cruel in one country may not be in another. Also to draw comparison of selling live food and child pornogrpahy is quite absurd, however, it does further open up the discussion on culture differences, even across Europe the age of consent varies from as young as 13 yrs old. Should we boycot these countries in discust at their morals on sex?
To anonymous,
To brand the comments on China's treatment of animals 'bigoted generalisations,' only confirms to me that you haven't been to China and that you don't know anyone who lives there either.
If you had, then you would know that turtles are a very common menu item, unless you walked around with your eyes closed for most of the time. Many places actually have live ones on show outside, stacked on top of each other like tiles, so the wealthy people who eat them, including Western tourists, can choose which one they want.
Dog is another very common menu feature cross the Far East and if you want to have a go at cooking one yourself, butchers selling dog meat are easy to find.
In fact you can find almost any animal on the planet being served in Chinese restaurants, including live fish, cooked from the waist down.
However, what is at stake here, is not the eating of fluffy animals which many Westerners keep views as pets or endangered species, but the way these animals are killed, which is why I agree with the original comments on the subject.
It's OK to be libertine about these things - as long as it's not happening to you or in your backyard, right?
To criticise a country for the way in which it treats its humans or its animals is not tantamount to bigotry. As members of the international community, it is our duty to speak out against atrocities to both humans and animals regardless of where it is happening. This was the thinking behind the establishment of the United Nations, even if it doesn't work very well nowadays.
If you remain unconvinced by my claims, I suggest you take a trip to China yourself, where you will witness firsthand all kinds of animals being kicked and beaten in the markets - many Westerners avoid the markets but will gladly dine on the 'exotic' dish - and more live turtles being sold as food than you are likely to see anywhere else in the world. If you can't afford a visit, then have a look at some of the images available of China's atrocities to both humans and animals on the web. Of course, China is not alone in its appalling abuse of animals, but the issue here is Tesco and whether it should uphold certain ethical standards.
Lest I be accused of being a racist too, I would hasten to add that if people were skinning dogs alive in the UK to sell in Tesco stores, I would be the first to welcome pressure from overseas citizens if it helped to put an end to the practice. There are some things you just can't turn a blind eye to.
I have been the the far east many times, including Beijing, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. I also have many friends from China and Chinese relatives. I will state again, the eating of turtles is not common.
The Anonymous "Tesco Manager" said...
"I have been the the far east many times, including Beijing, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. I also have many friends from China and Chinese relatives. I will state again, the eating of turtles is not common."
What was your point in just repeating what I just posted?? so childish
Tesco Manager is sooo BUSTED!
So Tesco Manager posted as Anon once or twice. Big deal. Get over it.
Thanks Al, and if EVERYONE is really bothered I actually selected the option by mistake. I have nothing to hide.
"let me ask you if Tesco would consider selling child porn in countries where paedophilia was legal?"
Child porn is illegal in the UK, but paedophilia (a sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children) is legal, because you can't arrest someone because of who they're attracted to. [1]
Because Tescos have jumped on the bandwaggon which is China's burgeoning economy, Tescos will feel what is out of sight is out of mind and OK as long as they are making monmey for the shareholders. The Chinese do not benefit from Tescos, they are exploited! Anyway, not so hasty Tescos; you are a UK based and promoted company and you have let the loyal UK customers down. We need not go into the reported cruelty in China, and other far east countries, towards animals they view as food, to justify this foully cruel introduction to Tescos food items: all we need to do is join the growing base of UK shopers who would not be seen DEAD in Tescos. Boycott their stores: vote with your feet! Simple.
How are the Chinese exploited by Tesco? I think you have just made this up, totally fictitious.
Customers do "vote with their feet". Tesco is the most popular!!!
This is the letter I have sent to Tesco, board of directors.
I have supported tesco for many years by shopping at its stores and using tesco petrol stations and so on. I have done this as I believed Tsco to be an ethical company. It seems I have been mislead. The thought that profits made on my and your many other UK customers purchases are being used to endorse this cruel trade and slaughter of live animals makes me feel sick. The arguments you have used in defence of this trade are unacceptable and very flimsy.
1 You state that all animals are slaughtered in ways which immediately kill and minimise the risk of suffering.
It has been proven that there is no humane way of kill turtles without rendering them unfit for human consumption.
2 That tesco are complying with standards set in China.
This is not at all reassuring.
As it is legal to skin animals alive in China, it would appear that there are no animal welfare standards.
3.We feel it would be wrong to impose our values on another country, and We cannot simply transpose standards cross national borders.
By refusing to sell these animals you would not be imposing values on anyone, you would simply not be participating in a treatment of animals which is morally wrong by your (as a British based company's) standards.
Is it not possible that there are people in China who are also opposed to this form of trade and would welcome the refusal to endorse it by such a major company as yourselves.
It would appear to me that Tesco are only concerned with making more profit than making any moral statements.
Because of this I along with my family and friends have decided to withdraw our support from Tesco and will not be using any product or service while this barbaric and appalling trade continues in your stores.
I enclose my clubcards as they are no longer required.
Yours n.johnson
I agree with everything the above person(N.Johnson)has wrote, I could not have worded it any differently myself.
I feel very upset about what is happening to these poor animals.
I feel that you have let all of your loyal customers down.
I think that everybody should boycott all stores to make Tesco realise how this has affected
a big majority of its loyal customers.
I myself,Family and friends will no longer enter any of the Tesco stores unless this situation is resolved.
I have also sent back my clubcard as i will no longer be using it.
I will no longer be using any of your services.
Yours M.Kemp
I will not be shopping at Tescos any longer due to my upset of this cruelty to animals.
I will now be shopping at other stores.
I will not be using any services with Tesco again and will be sending back my clubcard.
I am very upset.
It's fact that the chinese torture animals before eating them because they believe ,that the suffering causes the animal concerned ,to release more adrenaline and therefore in their opinion it sweetens the meat.How much more barbaric can humanity become....???
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