Fight cloning in the food chain
Food chiefs say you don't need to know if food comes from clones
Get hidden GM out of your trolley
Is your meat, milk or ready meal supporting the GM industry?
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.
What you can do
Write to supermarkets to get the labels we all want.
If you are acting for the first time, see the our background information and sample letter.
If you have had a reply from a supermarket or want to know more, see our updated information and action: what supermarkets say may not be all it appears. We'll help you buy without the hidden GM feed.
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. Fresh poultry is currently the most reliable for being GM-free and processed food the worst.
If you want to buy non-GM fed milk, meat and eggs see our chart showing which supermarkets to use.
**Our GfK/NOP poll says 89% of shoppers want labels on 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.