From boycotts to barcodes: How supermarket choices still shape the world

When Dunnes Stores workers refused to handle South African oranges in the 1970s, their stand helped change international policy. Today, consumer power looks a little different — driven by apps, labels, and barcodes. But how much can we really trust what we scan, and what’s hidden in the small print on a humble net of oranges?
From boycotts to barcodes: How supermarket choices still shape the world

Dunnes Stores checkout workers on strike. Pic: Eamonn Farrell

Collective action in the supermarket can influence world events. Dunnes Stores workers boycotted South African oranges in the 1970s. 

The strike made international headlines and led the Irish government to ban fruit and vegetables from South Africa.

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