Archived press release

Supermarkets continue to shun GM food

16 July 2003

Supermarkets are continuing to shun GM food, a new survey by Friends of the Earth reveals today [1]. Later today (Wednesday) supermarket bosses are due to meet Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett to discuss consumer attitudes to GM food [2].

A Government public consultation on GM crops ends on Friday. Later this year the Government is expected to make a decision on whether or not to allow GM crops to be commercially grown in the UK.

Friends of the Earth's survey of twelve of the UK's top supermarkets and their own-brand food found:

All the supermarkets confirm their own brand products are GM-free. This includes GM derivatives - such as oil produced from GM crops. They all have in place `Identity Preserved' systems of their own, or they expect this of their suppliers. They all Set detection limits of at least one per cent. Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, Iceland, Waitrose and Safeway all operate to 0.1per cent.

Tesco, Waitrose, Asda, Co-op, M&S and Iceland say their fresh poultry is GM Free (has been reared on a GM-free diet). Tesco and Marks & Spencer pledge that their meat is GM free. Whilst Tesco, Waitrose, Asda, Co-op, Marks & Spencer and Iceland all claim that their eggs are from laying hens fed on a GM-free diet. Other supermarkets are expected to follow suit.

All twelve supermarkets confirmed that they will extend GM-free policies to include GM Wheat if it becomes commercially available.

Friends of the Earth's GM campaigner Clare Oxborrow, said:

"Supermarkets have banned GM ingredients and derivatives from their own-brand food because consumers don't want to eat GM. And with tighter GM labelling rules on the way, pressure will surely grow on food manufacturers to do even more to weed out GM ingredients. Supermarket bosses should tell the Government that it must help them meet the demand for GM-free food by refusing to allow GM crops to be commercially grown in the UK."

Notes

1.Details of survey follow

2.Today's meeting reportedly includes the Chief Executives of Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Safeway.

3.In April 2003, a MORI poll showed that 56 per cent opposed GM food, compared to one in seven (14 per cent) who support it.

4. Last week a report by the Government's Strategy Unit concluded that the public's refusal to eat GM food means that there is little economic value in the current generation of GM crops, and that continuing public opposition could also affect their long-term future.

5. MEPs voted to tighten EU GM labelling regulations last month. The current Directive requires food containing an ingredient with at least one per cent of GM DNA to be labelled. The new proposals would strengthen this legislation by: increasing its scope to include derivatives from GM crops (such as oils which don't contain DNA). This would be done through a comprehensive `traceability regime' which would ensure that food ingredients can be tracked so that is known whether or not they come from GM crops; extending the Directive to include animal feed. This would allow food manufacturers to ensure that animal products have not been fed on a GM diet; and reducing the GM labelling threshold from 1 per cent to 0.9 per cent. Friends of the Earth campaigned for much stricter levels. Supermarkets and food manufacturers can detect GM material at 0.1 per cent and currently operate to this threshold. The new labelling rules must be approved by the Council of EU Agricultural Ministers (which is almost certain), and could be operational in the autumn of 2003.

Supermarket summary

Answers refer to own-label products.

Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, Tesco, Asda, Safeway, Waitrose, Iceland, Somerfield, Aldi, Budgens and Morrisons responded to the survey. Netto did not respond.

GM Ingredients

All of the 12 supermarkets surveyed confirmed that all their own brand products remain GM Free.

Detection Limit

All supermarkets have in place either Identity Preserved systems of their own or they expect this of their suppliers. The limit is at least 1%. Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, Iceland, Waitrose and Safeway all operate to 0.1%.

GM Wheat

All 12 supermarkets have confirmed that they will extend their policies to include GM Wheat if it becomes commercially available.

GM Derivatives

All of the 12 supermarkets surveyed confirmed that all of their own brand products are free from GM derivatives and have Identity Preserved systems in place.

Labelling

10 of the top supermarkets claim that labelling is not applicable as they do not stock foods containing GM ingredients. Iceland however does label all of its own brand products with a blue oval symbol stating that its product is `made with no GM ingredients'.

GM Animal Feed

Poultry

Tesco, Waitrose, Asda, Co-op, M&S and Iceland all pledge that their fresh poultry is GM Free with suitable IP systems in place. In addition Safeways are working towards becoming GM free with 95% of their poultry being GM free at present. Somerfield are working to avoid GM fed poultry, but say that where their objective has not yet been met, there are GM-free choices. Sainsburys say that they offer a choice for their customers including poultry which has been fed on a GM-free diet although they express concerns about the long-term sustainability of this policy and express their concerns for the potential impact on the British Farming community. Budgens is currently reviewing their policies and intend to provide GM free poultry by December 2003.

Meat

Tesco and Marks and Spencer pledge that their meat is GM free with suitable IP systems in place. In addition, Waitrose, Safeway, Sainsburys, Co-op and Somerfield all provide GM-free meat options to their customers. Budgens, Aldi and Iceland are all reviewing their policies regarding animal feed for meat products. Asda do not pledge to have meat that is fed on a GM-free diet

Eggs

Tesco, Waitrose, Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer and Iceland all pledge that their eggs are from laying hens that are fed on a GM free diet. Safeways are working towards a totally GM-free provision of eggs and currently 90% are GM-free. Sainsburys and Somerfield both offer GM-free options for eggs, Budgens intend to be GM-free by December 03 and Aldi are reviewing their policies.

Dairy Products

Waitrose, Sainsburys, Co-op and Somerfield all provide a GM-free option for some dairy products. Marks and Spencers pledge that 100% of their milk is GM-free but can not guarantee the same for milk in processed foods. Tesco, Asda, Safeway, Iceland, Budgens and Aldi do not have GM-free policies for dairy products although some do have the issue under review.

Farmed Fish

Tesco (except tilapia), Waitrose, Asda and Safeway all pledge to provide 100%GM-free farmed fish. Sainsburys, Somerfield, Co-op (salmon and trout) and Marks and Spencers (salmon) all provide an option of GM-free farmed fish and Iceland, Budgens and Aldi all have the issue under review.

GM non food products

Tesco brand female hygiene products use GM-free cotton.

Safeways are currently investigating the effect that GM cottons have on the existing lines that they stock.

Asda are planning to review their GMO policy to possibly include cotton products in the near future.

Sainsburys are currently reviewing their position but feel that the current market makes it difficult to identify a clear supply chain.

Co-op after consultation with members and consumers have made it a priority to avoid GM cotton for sanitary protection products and are aiming to extend this policy to cotton wool products as well. They are also considering the possibility of using GM-free cotton in clothing but as with the other uses this will depend on the availability of GM-free cotton on the market.

Marks and Spencer have no policy at present but continue to watch the debate closely and are currently trailing the use of organic cotton and hope to use more in the future.

Waitrose say that they offer an organic option and they are currently investigating the option of GM-free cotton for their own brand goods.

Somerfield do not currently have a policy on cotton products and Budgens and Iceland do not have a policy as they do not stock any own brand cotton products.

Aldi's and Morrisons did not specify their policy concerning cotton.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust