GM free milk hits the shelves
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- 6/10/2004 - As the anti-GM feel gains pace in Europe ailing UK retailer
Sainsbury has seized the moment launching a milk produced from cows
'guaranteed to have been fed a GM free diet'.
The new launch follows swiftly on from tough new traceability and labelling
rules for GM food and feed enforced in Europe just two months ago. Feed
produced from genetically modified crops must be traced and labelled as
such.
In a statement Britain's third largest retail group Sainsbury stated it had
been working with its main suppliers since the end of last year to develop
the milk, which will be available alongside its standard, gold top and
organic milk. Although the GM-free milk is currently produced on selected
farms from farms in the South West and South East areas, the company said it
was looking at expanding the supply if customers demand it.
"In the same way as we introduced our organic range in 1986 in response to a
small but growing customer demand, this milk has been developed to allow
customers to make a choice," said Ian Merton, director of Fresh Food at
Sainsbury.
Sainsbury's 'Selected Farm Semi-Skimmed Pasteurised Milk' will retail for
63p per two pints.
Under the new EU rules enforced in April 2004 Regulation 1829/2003 on GM
food and feed and Regulation 1830/2003 on traceability and labelling of GMOs
and the traceability of food and feed products from GMOs, aim to be a
harmonised EU system to trace and label GMOs and to trace food and feed
products produced from GMOs.
All food, including soya or maize oil produced from GM soya and maize, and
food ingredients, such as biscuits with maize oil produced from GM maize
must be labelled. The label has to indicate "This product contains
genetically modified organisms" or "produced form genetically modified (name
of organism)".
The same rules apply to animal feed including any compound feed that
contains GM soya. Corn gluten feed produced form GM maize must also be
labelled. This is to give livestock farmers accurate information on the
composition and properties of feed.
Sainsbury continues to feel the impact of a three-year restructuring
programme - that has seen the company revamp almost all its stores, launch a
major non-food product range and streamline a number of its other operations
- knocked down last year by supermarket chain Asda into the number three
slot.
With the European consumer archly suspicious of genetically modified
foodstuffs, the Sainsbury launch could be the first of many GM-free products
and an increasing call for GM free ingredients.
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