Environmental activists target UK's luxury department stores and retailers in 'milk pour'

UK retailers including luxury department stores Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason as well as Marks & Spencer and Waitrose were targets of Animal Rebellion in a weeklong of environmental activism acts that were recorded on social media.

The rebellious group, an animal and climate justice movement that uses nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience to campaign for animal and climate justice, held a ‘milk pour’ where activists grabbed milk from store shelves and dumped it over the floors and counters in order to raise awareness for a plant-based future.

Supporters disrupted retailers across the UK as they continue their calls for a plant-based future. A multitude of videos was uploaded to social media with activists holdings signs and pouring milk on the floor of stores in 4 UK cities. The group claim this was done to highlight the need to support farmers in transitioning to a sustainable, plant-based food system.

Ecological emergency

In a statement Animal Rebellions said: “A plant-based future is the key solution to the climate and ecological emergencies. Moreover, it would enable us to produce more food for more people with far less land and fewer resources. It would also reduce the suffering of billions of animals whilst restoring habitats to our beautiful wildlife. Prime Minister Liz Truss and Environment Secretary Ranil Jayawardena should make the most of this win-win-winscenario.”

Charity worker Lou Hadden, who joined the action at Fortnum and Mason, said: 'This is not how I imagined spending my weekend. 'Unfortunately, this disruption is necessary to get those in power to listen to the academics at Oxford, Harvard and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

'The world's best climate and land scientists are calling for the transition to a plant-based food system. 'We need bold and decisive politics at this time, not the horror show we currently see.'