Boycott

In 1985 the local community association in the multi-racial St Paul’s area of Bristol launched a campaign to persuade local shops and businesses to end all links with South Africa. After a slow start, the great majority of local shops and all seven pubs in the area agreed to boycott apartheid products. This newsletter reproduced a Declaration signed by local businesses. The campaign gained such momentum that the local Tesco’s branch agreed not to stock South African goods.

In 1985 the local community association in the multi-racial St Paul’s area of Bristol launched a campaign to persuade local shops and businesses to end all links with South Africa. After a slow start, the great majority of local shops and all seven pubs in the area stopped selling apartheid products. The community association also asked local businesses to boycott Barclays Bank. Its annual report described the progress of the campaign. 

Anti-apartheid supporters in the multi-racial district of St Paul’s, Bristol campaigned to turn the area into an apartheid-free zone in the mid-1980s. Most of the area’s independent shops and businesses signed a declaration pledging themselves to boycott South African goods. The local branch of Tesco stopped stocking South African products.

The AAM followed up its 1985 March month of boycott with a day of action focusing on Tesco on 6 July. Anti-apartheid campaigners distributed this leaflet outside Tesco stores all over Britain. The Tesco branch in the multi-racial area of St Paul’s, Bristol, was the first to announce that it would stop selling South African products.

Maritime trade unions from around the world agreed to take direct action against ships supplying oil to South Africa at a conference in London on 30–31 October 1985. They were urged to take action by ANC President Oliver Tambo. The conference was sponsored by the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid and organised by the British National Union of Seamen.

Maritime trade unions from around the world agreed to take direct action against ships supplying oil to South Africa at a conference in London on 30–31 October 1985. The conference was sponsored by the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid and organised by the British National Union of Seamen. This badge was produced as part of the initiative.

Sticker produced by Islington Borough Council in north London asking shoppers not to buy South African goods.

Poster produced for the campaign for a boycott of South African goods. The text reads: ‘Fruit is mostly picked by black women and children in South Africa and Namibia. 60% of canned fruit and vegetables exported by South Africa is consumed by Britain and the EEC. Watch out for fresh fruit sold under the label of CAPE and OUTSPAN.’