WESSEX
Portsea Island Co-op unable to identify genetically modified ingredient in foods in Dorset
NLP expresses disappointment after customer inquiry
Wessex News Release
June 1998
CO-OP DOES NOT TRACE GM SOYA
The Wessex Natural Law Party has expressed disappointment that a statement recently issued to one of its supporters by the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) confirms that it is unable to inform customers about which of its products contain genetically modified soya. CWS has over 700 stores in the UK and is the parent organisation for the Portsea Island Co-operative Society which runs the Co-op’s stores in parts of Dorset. It is the largest co-operative society in Europe as well as being the UK’s largest farmer covering 50,000 acres.
Referring to food products containing ingredients derived from soya beans imported from the United Sates the statement from CWS says:
"Without traceability of the GM beans there is no possibility of us or anyone else accurately identifying for consumers whether products containing soybeans or their derivatives contain GM material."
The Natural Law Party is concerned that the statement confirms that the Co-op is not operating a system of traceablity for genetically modified soya despite the fact that a number of other retailers are now doing this, including Iceland Frozen Foods who have introduced a traceability system which guarantees that all their own brand products are free of ingredients derived from genetically engineered organisms.
According to Gerald Napper, NLP candidate for South Dorset at the General Election:
"This news from the Co-op is very disappointing because in the past they have had an excellent record of looking after consumers’ interests, but on this occasion they seem to have fallen behind other traders. If Iceland can trace their supplies, so can any other major food retailer."
STORE HAS NO ANSWERS
CWS were approached on this matter after an NLP supporter asked for information on foods sold by the Co-op containing genetically modified ingredients at a supermarket store operated by the Portsea Island Society. The store manager was unable to provide any.
Genetically engineered soya has been imported into the UK and incorporated into foods without labelling since 1996. Over 60% of processed foods include soya or its derivatives, including bread and baby foods.
CONSUMERS DO NOT WANT TO EAT GM PRODUCTS
A Gallup poll commissioned by Iceland Foods earlier this year shows that the vast majority of consumers who have heard about them have reservations about GM foods. Only 4% of consumers in the poll indicated that they were "very likely" to buy genetically modified food. Consumer resistance stems from concern about potential damaging effects of genetically modified organisms on human health and the environment. For example, there is now evidence pointing towards increased levels of the estrogen hormone in GM soya, which could give rise to significant human health problems. This has lead to a United Nations committee on bio-safety calling for an immediate global ban on the crop.
Why consumers are concerned about GM foods
Media cover up on gmo cancer threat
Estrogen levels rise
risk in Roundup Ready Soya beans - call for immediate world-wide ban by Working Group on
Biosafety of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
Iceland Foods bans
genetically modified products
Natural Law Party campaign to ban genetically modified foods in Wessex