CONSUMERS VOICE OPPOSITION TO GM FOODS

by Someshwar Singh

Geneva, 28 Feb 2000 -- As OECD representatives meet this week in Edinburgh, UK, for a conference on biotechnology, Consumer International, a federation of about 250 consumer organizations from 111 countries and the UK Consumers' Association have voiced their concern over genetically modified products.

According to information by the Consumers International (CI), consumers around the world have been denied any choice over whether or not to accept products using genetically modified organisms, since labelling of such food is not required. "This basic lack of information has only served to fuel consumers' scepticism and concern."

CI says all food in which there are ingredients from GM sources should be labelled. This requires global labelling rules, and if possible, an internationally recognised symbol for GM foods.

The OECD meeting in Edinburgh is seen as an important forerunner to a biotechology Task Force meet to be held in Tokyo next month (14-17 March). The Task Force was set up by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the United Nations international food standards-setting body. It aims to develop guidelines, standards or recommendations on GM foods.

"We hope that this conference can be used to raise - and ultimately address many of the uncertainties and concern concerns about GM," said Sue Davies, Principal Policy Advisor at UK Consumers' Association. "It is essential that this - and the Codex Task Force meeting in Japan in March - draw on the progress made as part of the biosafety protocol and are used to develop more robust and consistent methods of assessing, tracing, monitoring, and labelling of GM foods. This is vital as they are traded globally.

"We've already seen what can happen of this is not ensured: consumers will boycott GM products," Sue Davies added. "Consumers around the world are united on this issue - even if our governments currently are not."

"Enthusiasts for biotechnology in food production - including many who hope to profit from it - have consistently presented it as a benign development which is entirely understood and under control," said Julian Edwards, Director General of CI. "This is very much not the case, and it has taken a major consumer revolt to force more serious debate. This conference is an excellent opportunity to analyze the problem and help develop action which will lead to effective consumer information and protection in the future."

The two groups have suggested that the biotechnology Task Force needs to focus on several key issues, including clarification of what constitutes sufficient scientific evidence about the safety of GM foods; review of risk analysis and inclusion of a precautionary approach; and, full consideration of legitimate factors other than science - such as environmental impact, animal welfare and cultural and religious considerations - that should be taken into account when producing and marketing GM foods. (SUNS4616)

The above article first appeared in the South-North Development Monitor (SUNS) of which Chakravarthi Raghavan is the Chief Editor.

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