After a high-profile consumer campaign by the animal rights group Viva! against the sale of kangaroo meat in Britain, the last remaining supplier conceded defeat today, Wednesday, 27 January. UK supermarket chain, Sainsbury's, advised Viva! by letter that sales of all kangaroo meat through the company's more than 300 stores will cease in February due to 'lack of customer demand'. UK national chains Tesco, Morrisons, Somerfield and Booker had all previously dropped the trade in 'exotic' meats as result of Viva!'s three-year long campaign.

Sainsbury's decision conveniently pre-empts a national Day of Action against the company planned for February 27 when over 150 local Viva! groups were to hold demonstrations outside Sainsbury's stores under the slogan - Sainsbury's don't give a XXXX about Kangaroos. A similar day of action, held in July 1998, proved a public relations disaster for the company, resulting in over 100 picture stories, TV and radio reports. The Hon. Richard Jones MLC attended the British demonstrations which concentrated on the brutal destruction of millions of baby kangaroos - joeys - the innocent by-product of this trade in wildlife. Sainsbury's remained silent in the face of this largely hostile media campaign.

"Sainsbury's customers were shocked when they found out about the company's support for the commercial destruction of wildlife and many voted with their feet," explains Juliet Gellatley, director of Viva!. "Supermarkets wield such enormous power that they often seem invulnerable - but they aren't. We have clearly shown that a vigorous, consistent and principled public awareness campaign can destroy markets for these monoliths and during the day of action against Sainsbury's we emptied entire stores".

All of Australia's main wildlife groups are opposed to the killing of kangaroos but Sainsbury's refused to accept the evidence provided by them and by Viva!, relying instead on the assurances of those with a financial interest in the trade.

British Campaigner Wins Australian Wildlife Award

As a recognition of Viva!'s success in virtually ending the kangaroo meat trade in Britain, the Australian Wildlife Protection Council has awarded its director, Juliet Gellatley, its annual award 'in recognition of her contribution to the conservation and protection of Australian wildlife'. Ms Gellatley did an Australian speaking and media tour in defence of the kangaroo last March, debating with kangaroo shooters on national TV and radio. Her work ended Australian Meats Ltd., a major exporters of kangaroo, $1 million a year export business.

"The destruction of kangaroos is the biggest wildlife massacre in the world but the implication of Viva!'s victory goes far wider than this. British supermarkets have shown they are perfectly willing to act as Trojan horses for the commercial exploitation of the world's wildlife," concludes Ms Gellatley. "Had we ignored it, a precedent would have been established and supermarkets would now be selling crispy fried possum and elephant steaks. The public has great power and we will coordinate that strength whenever it's necessary."

Maryland Wilson of the Australian Wildlife Protection Council said: "Viva!'s efforts to stop the sale and consumption of kangaroo meat in the UK are of utmost importance to the success of our campaigns in Australia. The industry had high hopes for the selling of kangaroo to Britain. Our government saw the UK as the first big target in Europe to make money out of our wildlife. Viva!'s amazing victories against Sainsbury's and Tesco are a bitter blow for kangaroo meat industry".

Sally Wilson of Australia IFAW concludes: "On behalf of Australian wildlife we cannot thank Juliet Gellatley and Viva! enough for the role they have played in protecting the kangaroo".

For further information, please contact:
Juliet Gellatley, Viva! UK on tel: 00 11 44 1273 777688
Maryland Wilson, AWPC on tel: 03 9650 8326/ 03 5978 8570