United Kingdom: Supermarkets hardly can further avoid gene-technology food products

(07 September 2009) The large supermarket chains in the United Kingdom do not obtain enough ‘gene-technology-free’ raw materials on the world market. This results in significant difficulty in continuing to sell only food products without gene-technology constituents that are subject to labelling.

As reported by the British daily Telegraph, representatives of large supermarket chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer as well as of the discounter Aldi have voiced complaints to government officials in which they state that not enough raw materials are available on the world market that have been produced without the aid of gene technology.

Producers in many parts of the world appear increasingly to apply ‘green gene technology’, as cited by the newspaper in a report on talks between the retail chains and the government. The available offer of conventional raw materials appears to be in decline, which leads to a hike in prices. Large agricultural producers, primarily those in the USA and in Brazil who cultivate ever-greater amounts of genetically modified maize and soybeans, are named as the source of this change.

Bottlenecks are apparent in the case of vegetable oils and fats. Many caterers appear to use fats and oils derived from genetically modified soybeans, without labelling the meals or products manufactured therewith as required by law.

The Telegraph titled its report on the meeting with "Supermarkets pave the way for market entry of GM food". A speaker for the British association of wholesalers declared nonetheless that businesses intend to continue the exclusion of genetically modified food products from supermarkets.

In the meanwhile, British consumers appear far more relaxed with regard to ‘gene food’ as was the case six years ago under the influence of the BSE crisis. According to the current assessment of a regular poll conducted by the British Food Standards Agency, only four per cent of interviewees spontaneously declared worry about genetically modified food products, which is the lowest such value since the start of the polls in 2003. When presented with a list of various food safety topics, 21 per cent of interviewees indicated misgivings towards genetically modified food products. ‘Gene food’ occupied thereby last place among all topics in question.

Further information:

• Food Standards Agency (FSA): Quarterly public tracker - June 2009