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23 Apr 2013
UK supermarkets abandon non-GM feed policies
In April 2013 many UK supermarkets abandoned long-standing policies on GM animal feed. The move, said to be based on the difficulty in sourcing non-GM feed, flies in the face of the UK Government's own data showing consumers want GM out of the food chain entirely, as well as our GfK/NOP poll results showing shoppers are willing to pay more to avoid GM.
GM Freeze is surprised that Marks & Spencer is among the companies making this change, as it has long had a strong and admirable stand on this issue.
Non-GM supplies are available. Major European supermarket chains, including Carrefour, have successful labelled lines of non-GM fed animal products. China's announcement that it is moving to secure non-GM soya imports, which came after UK supermarkets claimed non-GM is not available, proves that large quantities of non-GM are on the market. GM Freeze believes that if UK supermarkets place orders for non-GM normal market forces of supply and demand will ensure more non-GM is grown and sold.
There is no satisfactory explanation for the change in feed policy by UK supermarkets, and companies' reliance on the widely rejected work of the ISAAA (see our many press releases on this subject) is totally inadequate justification for rejecting consumer demands.
Please take action today to express your dismay at this unnecessary and unwelcome move.
What you can do
Please write to your supermarket of choice (or as many as you can) expressing your deep concern about the change in policy on GM animal feed. You can find contact information for all major UK supermarkets here. Remember: Waitrose is maintaining its policy, which needs improvement but has not reversed in line with what other companies are doing.
If you have limited time, please make a special effort to write to Marks & Spencer and the Co-operative to express your disappointment with their change in policy.
If you have a bank account with the Co-op please ask how this new policy meets the claim that the bank's Ethical Policy "ensures that we will always stand up for the issues that our customers feel passionate about".
Feel free to amend these points in any way you like in your letters (for instance, you can adapt the third point if you are a vegetarian).
If you have time, please write to Waitrose encouraging it to maintain its position and ask for further information about non-GM fed products you can buy in its shops.
Thank you for your action – this is an important time in this discussion.
Points to include:
- I am very dismayed that your company has changed its policy on GM animal feed.
- I cannot understand why you will not provide the non-GM fed meat, milk and eggs your customers clearly want. Even UK Government research shows this clear demand from shoppers.
- I want to buy non-GM fed animal products and urge you to take the steps necessary to order non-GM supplies, as is done by the Chinese, Norwegians, Austrians, Swiss, and major European companies like Carrefour and Campina, etc.
Background to this action
In 2000 all the major supermarkets made commitments to phase out GM feed for the animals used to produce their meat and dairy products, but tons of GM animal feed are still being shipped into the UK to feed the animals that supply milk in most stores.
Progress to remove GM feed from the supply lines of the major supermarkets has been slow and patchy. Until April 2013 fresh poultry was the most reliable for being GM-free and processed food the worst, but it is now extremely difficult to determine where GM feed is used.
In March 2012 the media reported Morrisons ended its requirement on suppliers to use only non-GM poultry feed. This change in policy puts the supermarket out of step with other UK food retailers at that time.
**Our GfK/NOP poll says 89% of shoppers want labelson food from animals fed a GM diet.**
**Our GfK/NOP poll says 89% of shoppers want labelson food from animals fed a GM diet.**
All previous updates
10 Jun 2010
Stop Asda-led slide toward GM animal feed
GM Freeze has confirmed that Asda (owned by US retailing giant Walmart) have dropped their policy of using non-GM animal feed in their poultry and eggs. They now say if customers wish to avoid GM, they should buy organic.
GM Freeze believes this may be an attempt to test consumer opposition to GM, and that if there is little or no response, the policy may spread to other products and indeed to other supermarkets. This may be a critical moment for the future of our ability to choose non-GM food and further locks the UK into dependence of the unsustainable production of soybeans in South America.
What you can do:
1) Please urgently contact Asda expressing your opposition to this move.
2) It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to contact other supermarkets asking what they policy is on GM animal feed and expressing your strong preference for products from animals fed a non-GM animal diet. If you cannot contact all retailers, please prioritise especially Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrisons, as well as Waitrose (who recently joined the Roundtable on Responsible Soy - see a new briefing for details on the RTRS).
3) Please pass this information on to others.
Contact information for all major UK supermarkets is available under our Action Resources tab.
Many thanks, and feel free to ask any questions by emailing coordinator@gmfreeze.org.
16 May 2011
We want what Sweden's got
You will have noticed from our press release (see “Sweden heads for GM-free status: UK should follow”) that Swedish slaughterhouses, under pressure from food retailers and consumers, are planning to ban GM-feed pigs by 1 September to bring pig meet into line with other animal products. This is happening despite a pro-GM stance in the Swedish government and other food authorities, proving that consumer pressure is the key.
15 Jul 2011
Asda say they're GM-free, then say they aren't...
In June 2011 Asda wrote to customers, "I can confirm that all of Asda's own brand beef, pork, lamb, chicken, frozen foods, eggs, milk and cheese come from animals not fed GM feed."
This was queried and confirmed in emails from customer services.
However when questioned by a journalist in July Asda said, "...none of the major retailers, including Asda, have ever had a non-GM feed commitment for their meat and dairy products", and add if customers want non-GM fed, they should buy organic.
GM Freeze thinks it is disturbing that when customers asked for confirmation of the policy it was confirmed, but when a journalist asked the story changed.
23 Apr 2013
UK supermarkets abandon non-GM feed policies
In April 2013 many UK supermarkets abandoned long-standing policies on GM animal feed. The move, said to be based on the difficulty in sourcing non-GM feed, flies in the face of the UK Government's own data showing consumers want GM out of the food chain entirely, as well as our GfK/NOP poll results showing shoppers are willing to pay more to avoid GM.
GM Freeze is surprised that Marks & Spencer is among the companies making this change, as it has long had a strong and admirable stand on this issue.
Non-GM supplies are available. Major European supermarket chains, including Carrefour, have successful labelled lines of non-GM fed animal products. China's announcement that it is moving to secure non-GM soya imports, which came after UK supermarkets claimed non-GM is not available, proves that large quantities of non-GM are on the market. GM Freeze believes that if UK supermarkets place orders for non-GM normal market forces of supply and demand will ensure more non-GM is grown and sold.
There is no satisfactory explanation for the change in feed policy by UK supermarkets, and companies' reliance on the widely rejected work of the ISAAA (see our many press releases on this subject) is totally inadequate justification for rejecting consumer demands.
Please take action today to express your dismay at this unnecessary and unwelcome move.