Sanctions against Iraq in the build-up to a possible attack by US and UK forces have bitten into trade at the Quakers' shop in Oxford this Christmas.

The Friends, based in St Giles, have so far this year been unable to obtain stocks of sanction-busting Iraqi dates, which they sold illegally this time last year.

A spokesman for the Friends said: "They sold very fast indeed and we would like to have more now.

"We maintain that the sanctions against Iraq are harming the ordinary people there but not affecting the government.

"Unfortunately, this year we have been unable to obtain supplies.

"But we would definitely sell them if we could get them."

So far the Friends have sent off several petitions to Prime Minister Tony Blair, urging him not to attack Iraq.

The petitions have been signed by hundreds of people visiting the Friends' shop.

The dates last year arrived via Italy.

They were brought into Britain with the help of Voices in the Wilderness, a pressure group which is campaigning against sanctions and against a possible attack on Iraq.

A spokesman for Voices in the Wilderness said: "We are still hoping to get hold of some dates from Iraq.

"If we do, we shall certainly sell them in Oxford, which last year was a very good market."