Consumers say no to GM food
20 October 1998
Consumers say no to GM food
By FWi staff
MOST consumers want supermarkets to stop selling genetically modified (GM) food, claims a survey released today (Tuesday).
A total of 58% of shoppers questioned said stores should not stock GM products. The proportion of shoppers in favour of GM products was 27%.
More than 2000 shoppers took part in the study, which was carried out by NOP for Friends of the Earth.
The survey reveals most customers of all the leading supermarkets are against food with GM ingredients.
Customers at Marks and Spencer were most opposed to GM products, with 65% saying they wanted the supermarket to ban such items from its shelves.
At the two biggest supermarket chains, Tesco and Sainsburys, 60% of shoppers were against GM products.
Tesco has already pledged to label products which contain GM ingredients. Sainsburys has removed GM soya and maize protein and flour from many of its own-brand products.
Other stores surveyed were Somerfield (63% of shoppers against), Safeway (61% against), Asda (56%), Co-op (56%), Morrisons (54%), and Kwiksave (53%).
Earlier this year Iceland banned GM ingredients in all its own-brand products, and Asda last week announced that all its new food lines would be GM-free.