UK supermarket flies fish 5,000 miles from Africa

Waitrose has been criticised following the revelation that it is flying fish 5,000 miles from Zimbabwe for sale in its UK supermarkets.

Human rights activists have said it is wrong to fly in food from the African nation where large numbers of people are currently going hungry under the regime of president Robert Mugabe, This Is Money reported.

"I find it very disturbing that they are taking fish from Zimbabwe at a time when millions are starving and surviving purely on international aid," Wilf Mbanga, editor of the Zimbabwean newspaper, told the website.

However, in a statement, the supermarket's managing director, Mark Price, defended the decision to fly the tilapia filets in from the impoverished country.

"Lake Harvest supports an entire community of 450 workers and their extended families. The workers get higher than minimum basic wage, a pension scheme, medical insurance and HIV/AIDs support," he claimed.

"Sixty per cent of fish processed at Lake Harvest is sold at cost to the local community and 40 per cent is exported at a profit to provide a vital income of hard currency and ensure continued survival of the business." ADNFCR-1231-ID-18412419-ADNFCR