Magistrates are prosecuting G’s España, a subsidiary of UK firm G’s Group, along with 36 other agricultural companies for the alleged use of illegal desalination plants, which they argue has contributed to the ecological collapse of the Mar Menor, the largest permanent saltwater lagoon in Europe.
G’s España supplies salad to supermarkets including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, Asda, Lidl and Co-op. The company has 6,000 hectares of farmland in Murcia, Spain, where it grows fresh vegetables such as lettuce, radish and celery to keep UK supermarket shelves stocked in the winter. It imports more than 400 lorry-loads' worth of produce every week. In 2021, the company made sales amounting to more than £500m.
Of almost 40 companies being investigated for “crimes against the environment,” magistrates say G’s España has caused the greatest damage, estimating the cost to the economy at more than €2.5m. They are calling for a three...