Climate change protesters target Tesco with paint campaign

Environmental activists made a series of early morning guerrilla raids on more than 20 Tesco stores today to protest against an in-store promotion that offered airmiles to people who bought energy saving lightbulbs.

Campaigners from the “Climate Suffrajets”, a women-led direct action group, used stencils and green paint to daub the words “Every Little Hurts” on 27 stores across central London. Above the slogan was a picture of two energy saving light bulbs and the Tesco brand name.

The activists were protesting against a newspaper advertisement which offered customers extra clubcard points for switching to energy efficient light bulbs. The points could then be exchanged for air miles and was advertised as a “Flights for Lights” promotion.

The Climate Suffrajets phoned The Independent earlier today to claim responsibility for the attack and for a recent assault on the Department of Transport where a brick was thrown through a window.

A spokeswoman said: “Tesco was targeted today because offering airmiles in exchange for efficient lightbulbs is completely counter-productive.”

The caller said the group was primarily made up of young women who had splintered from “Climate Rush”, another predominantly female activist group which tried to break into the Houses of Parliament last year to mark the 100th anniversary of a similar assault by suffragettes on Westminster.

“We’re the spikier version of Climate Rush,” the spokeswoman said. “And we will continue to break the law in order to remind people that we are marching towards climate suicide.”

A Tesco spokesperson confirmed the attacks but said the Flights for Lights promotion had been stopped more than a week ago.