By now we all know Ultima Generazione, an international movement that in recent years has stood out for its high-impact demonstration actions: road blocks, demonstrations in museums, raids on luxury restaurants. The declared objective is to shake public opinion and put the climate crisis and social inequalities at the center of the political agenda, accusing governments and companies of not acting with the necessary urgency.
Activists choose symbolic places – often perceived as “untouchable” – to show how the current economic and production system puts profit before life, contributing to environmental devastation and the exploitation of people.
So far their most sensational actions have often targeted elite contexts, such as Carlo Cracco’s restaurant in Milan, where they have repeatedly staged spectacular protests. Now, however, the scenario has definitely changed, the new protest is taking place in one of the most common places frequented by everyone: the supermarket.
The boycott in supermarkets
Starting from Saturday 11 October, Ultima Generazione has launched a national boycott action against large-scale retail trade (GDO). The invitation is clear: no shopping in large supermarkets on Saturdays, the symbolic day on which most Italian families stock up on essential goods. In their place, activists propose small shops and local producers, to be supported as decidedly more sustainable alternatives.
Behind the glossy facade of large-scale retail trade lies enormous profit margins, systematic waste and exploitative practices that end up penalizing both producers and consumers.
Furthermore, Ultima Generazione underlines that:
Every day our money goes where we don’t want it: the government spends billions on weapons, while healthcare, education and essential services remain underfunded. Italy becomes complicit in wars and genocides, fueling an economy of death, while our salaries remain stagnant and prices rise.
The boycott is not only an act of protest, but also a specific political request: cut VAT on essential goods to reduce the burden of daily spending. In parallel, the aim is to promote a more equitable economy, based on direct relationships with producers and on the strengthening of the local fabric.
The launch of the boycott was accompanied by street initiatives in various Italian cities, with shared tables, music and social moments.
We should not underestimate our power as consumers at all. Every euro spent, the movement underlines, is a political choice, it can in fact fuel a system based on profit and consumption or contribute to building more sustainable alternatives.
Ultima Generazione announces that the initiative will continue “Saturday after Saturday”, with the aim of becoming a powerful instrument of pressure on government and businesses. The intent is to transform an individual gesture into a collective choice capable of truly making a difference.
