GM for sale
GM is major concern for UK shoppers but GM food is creeping into our shops unnoticed. See our list of GM products spotted for sale in a store near you.
How to spot GM products
While the UK remains part of the European Union, food made with GM ingredients is legally required to say genetically modified on the label.This may appear beside the relevant ingredients or elsewhere on the label and is likely to be in very small print.
GM products are often imported so have a printed sticky label placed over the original packaging to “translate” the ingredients into a form that meets our regulations, as in the example shown here. ‘Modified’ (eg modified maize starch) does not mean GM.
When you see information on other websites, make sure they are talking about the UK because the situation is very different in some other countries, especially the USA.
What you can do
Not buying GM products is a start but we need to let the shops know that we don’t want to see them on the shelves.
Complain in store
Go to the Customer Services desk and ask the staff to pass on your comments to the store Manager and Head Office.
‘Name and shame’ on social media
Tweeting a brief comment when you see GM for sale is a great way to raise awareness. Rember to tag the brand and the shop where you saw it to make sure they notice your comments and include us @GMfreeze so we can help spread the word.
Write to the supermarkets and other shops selling GM
See our page of retailer contact details.Make it clear that you are a customer but that you might choose to shop elsewhere. Explain why you don’t want to see GM on the shelves, but remember that a few carefully chosen facts have much more of an impact than an essay. You want to be taken seriously so it’s better to avoid emotive language.One very effective way to get your point across is to quote the company’s own policy statements and marketing claims to show how selling GM doesn’t match what they like to say about themselves.
Support our Don’t Hide What’s Inside campaign
to ensure we can still choose GM free after the UK leaves the European Union.