While Tel Aviv city inspectors on Wednesday morning began removing protest tents that have become a familiar sight during the summer months, protestors affiliated with the ‘social injustice’ movement, the city student union announced protests are moving to the next level, this time targeting Tnuva, the nation’s largest dairy.

The Tel Aviv University student union has decided it has had enough and it is spearheading the next phase of nationwide protests that began months ago with the ‘cottage cheese protests’, demanding a reduction in the price of that popular dairy item. Haifa University student union leaders have already announced they are joining in.

The student union has announced a boycott of all Tnuva products, expecting tens of thousands of persons to abide by the boycott. Organizers explain they are simply “fed up with the insatiable appetite for profit exhibited by Tnuva’s senior management”. They feel targeting Tnuva will impact the dairy marketplace since the company controls 52% of Israel’s dairy marketplace. They explain the boycott will continue through the yomim tovim to get the point across.

Student union officials explain they plan to compel Tnuva to lower prices, as well as other dairies such as Strauss and Tara.

YWN reported last month that free milk was distributed in frum areas as part of an effort to prove milk can be sold for significantly less and still leave the dairies with a handsome profit.

Boycott leaders explain the continued price increases on dairy products in Israel do not reflect marketplace realities, but more accurately, they reflect the greed of corporate leaders.

In response, Tnuva released a statement on Tuesday night that it is sorrowed to hear of the student union’s decision, adding it was the first company to lower the price of cottage cheese following the start of the protests. Tnuva executives add the company employee 8,500 people, providing a livelihood for their families, adding “We understand the voice of the consumer. We plan to continue implementing consumer friendly decisions during the upcoming holiday season” a statement to the media read.

Boycott leaders told Israel’s Reshet Bet Radio on Wednesday morning that after Tnuva lowered the price of cottage cheese they noticed the price of a number of other items was increased, apparently to make up the difference.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)