Fight cloning in the food chain
Food chiefs say you don't need to know if food comes from clones
Sainsbury's "sad" UK "missing out" on GM
Let's set the record straight
06 Feb 2012
Nothing more to add..?
Many thanks to those who have sent us copies of the letters they have received from Mr King saying, "I am pleased to be able to tell you that we have made our position clear on this matter in a letter that was published in the January 13th edition of Farmers Weekly."
We're still keen for answers to our questions, but it is unlikely further action will get more of a response at this stage, so special thanks to everyone who helped us take action. You were heard.
What you can do
Please write to Sainsbury's CEO Justin King about his Brand Director Judith Batchelar's (note correct spelling of the name) statements about GM in the UK.
Please also consider writing to your Member of Parliament (see details below) to remind her/him about the level of opposition to GM in the UK, and how the Government's Agriculture Minister, Jim Paice, and the Shadow DEFRA secretary Mary Creagh, are failing to reflect this in their recent statements on GM foods and farming (I can provide details if you'd like them).
Points to include:
- I do not agree with Sainsbury's Brand Director Judith Batchelar's statements supporting GM food and farming in the UK.
- I know Sainsbury's does not sell own brand products containing GM, but this is not the same as supporting GM farming and research as Ms Batchelar appears clearly to do.
- I do not want farming anywhere to take up or expand the use of GM technology as it is not needed and too risky.
- Instead research and development funding should be urgently redirected away from GM toward less risky, proven approaches and technologies, like MAS and agroecology.
- I am very disappointed as a shopper to hear that someone so senior at Sainsbury's advocates more GM at such important events, and this position will affect my choice of food store unless you can assure me this is not the case.
Send your email using Write To Them
We suggest you use writetothem.com to help contact your MP and MEPs. writetothem.com do not accept block copied text, and the site may reject attempts to do this. This is because personalised letters from constituents are by far the most effective. Politicians are increasingly dismissive of identical letters they receive.
Please simply personalise the suggestions we give you or contact your politicians directly (rather than using writetothem.com) if you want to block copy text. Thank you for keeping our actions as effective as they can be.
Send your email now
Your email will be sent to justin.king@sainsburys.co.uk as soon as you press send.
Background to this action
Sainsbury's brand director was quoted in Farmers Weekly ("GM Could Be an Answer in Food Security Debate") addressing a fringe event at the Oxford Farming Conference saying:
"The sad thing is lots of progress is being used in other parts of the world and they are using technology the UK hasn’t been part of....We feel sad that we have missed out on that research.”
The company may believe this, or it could be a test to see if anyone responds. Either way Sainsbury's needs to hear urgently from people who do not want GM food and farming in the UK.
All previous updates
11 Jan 2012
Mr King says comments "misinterpreted"?
Many thanks to those who have let us see comments from Justin King that have already been received. His reply to letters says:
"I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond on the misinterpretation and inaccurately attributed comments made on this important issue."
He then goes on to "reassure" correspondents that Sainsbury's listens to what customers want and to "assure [customers] we have no plans to change our current policy" on selling GM food.
It is excellent to know that this issues is getting such speedy attention, however it doesn't answer all of the question, and in fact raises a new one, so if you receive a message like this please respond to Mr King:
- Thanking him for such prompt attention to such an important matter.
- Pointing out that what kind of food they sell is not really the whole of the matter, as support for GM farming is just as important both in the UK and elsewhere.
- Asking what, exactly, was "misinterpreted and inaccurately attributed" - what was said and who said it?
You might like to say you are looking forward to a retraction in Farmers Weekly and ask if he can refer you to it when it appears.
We've got his attention, so let's make sure he knows we are serious.
17 Jan 2012
Sainsbury's and Farmers Weekly
Sainsbury's has been in correspondence with GM Watch about its website coverage of this issue, which expands on the company's statements to activists that comments were "misinterpreted" and "inaccurately attributed" by Farmers Weekly.
On "inaccurately attributed": So far this is not substantiated on Brand Director Judith Batchelar's "sadness" about the UK "missing out" on GM. In an email to GM Watch Sainsbury's said, "Judith's comments were prompted by a question at our an event we held at the Oxford Farming Conference." To our knowledge there has been no retraction or correction offered by Farmers Weekly. This seems to indicate that the comments were indeed made by Ms Batchelar. (We should point out that comments in the article about consumers being "confused" about GM were apparently not made by Ms Batchelar, but that is not the heart of the matter.)
On "misinterpreted": This is also difficult to see. In a letter for publication in Farmers Weekly the company is at pains to point out that the reporting of Ms Batchelar's comments is "highly misleading when not shown in the proper context". However the "context" the company offers is that its does not "permit the use of GM...in our own label products...As a responsible retailer, we will always be interested in new research and developments, as our customers expect us to be well informed and up-to-date with all areas of research and development in the food and agriculture sectors. This is not the same thing as saying that we are actively looking to review our policy, which we are definitely not."
This "full picture" of the company's position on GM crops does not answer the question: Is Sainsbury's "sad" the UK has "missed out" on "lots of progress" in GM farming and research? No retraction or correction has been offered by Farmers Weekly to our knowledge, and a clear answer to that question would be most welcome.
06 Feb 2012
Nothing more to add..?
Many thanks to those who have sent us copies of the letters they have received from Mr King saying, "I am pleased to be able to tell you that we have made our position clear on this matter in a letter that was published in the January 13th edition of Farmers Weekly."
We're still keen for answers to our questions, but it is unlikely further action will get more of a response at this stage, so special thanks to everyone who helped us take action. You were heard.