Consumers say no to GE food
Greenpeace activists hung banners at the Nestlé India headquarters in Gurgaon. The banner said: “Nestlé, GM free forever?” questioning Nestlé if they will be GM free forever. Greenpeace volunteers also dressed up as Nestlé’s most popular products — Maggi, Cerelac and Kitkat made a beeline to the office, asking Nestlé officials if they have a GM-free future.
Greenpeace India released a Safe Food Guide[i] in August 2009, ranking companies based on their policies for or against the use of GM[ii] ingredients in their foods. Nestlé was placed in the red category since they had supported the use of GM ingredients. Soon after, bowing to tremendous public pressure created by more than 28,000 cyber activists, Nestlé responded to Greenpeace queries and stated that their products do not contain GMOs as of now in India, since the law prohibits it. However, Nestlé refused to commit future positions, saying taking a future stance on GMOs is “hypothetical”.
In an online Greenpeace poll, nearly 98% of the 4,000[iii] people polled stated that they will not eat GM food even if it becomes available in future. Several companies, who previously had no position on the use of GM ingredients, have given statements that they prefer to avoid GM ingredients in their products. MTR Foods, Britannia, and Ruchi Soya have also said they do not support GM foods.
In September 2009, Nestlé baby food products sampled by Greenpeace were found to be genetically contaminated in China.[iv] “The consumers in India are not satisfied by Nestlé’s declaration of status quo. Nestlé India must have a policy, which ensures that its products are GM-free not only today, but in the future as well said Jaikrishna, Campaigner, Greenpeace India.
Mr.Antonio Waszyk, who heads Nestlé India now, clearly has a much bigger challenge to respond to, than merely ensuring his company’s high profits. Mr Waszyk, 28,000 of your consumers are watching and they want to know if Nestlé is going to be GM-free for the future.,” continued Jaikrishna.
For Further Information contact
Jai Krishna, Campaigner, +919845591992, jr@greenpeace.org
Syed Mehaboob, Communications: +919731301983, syed.mehaboob@greenpeace.org
[i]Greenpeace India launched the Safe Food Guide in August 2009 which categorizes 17 food companies operating in India into a ‘red list’ and a ‘green list’ based on their responses to Greenpeace regarding their policy on the use of genetically modified (GM) ingredients in their food products.
[ii]The guide comes at a time when the Union Government is in the verge of approving genetically modified Bt Brinjal. Following-Bt Brinjal, there are close to 40 other food crops, like rice, tomato, mustard, and potato, which the government may approve. The safety of GE crops as a foodstuff for animals and humans is unknown and the testing regimes inadequate. No amount of testing would prove GM crops are safe for the environment and foodstuff because GM crops are subject to unexpected and unpredictable effects
[iii]The snap poll was conducted online by Greenpeace India and the results can be viewed here: http://greenpeace.in/safefood/poll/
Go GP, go.
Hello,
I read the response from Nestle to GP, but couldn’t find any mention of them using GM products in the country.. As for future commitments, asking Nestle to give commitments about the future for all eternity is like asking teenagers to sign abstinence pledges.. It doesn’t work!!
Now don’t me wrong here.. I do not want GM-modified foods in India as much as the next guy… However, isn’t it a better idea to use this kind of people power (internet power?) to work against the lobbies pushing for GM-modified foods? The kind of lobbies that push for this are doing so keeping in mind the vast market that India is, and by the signs of the Govt already pushing for BT-enhanced foods, it seems that these lobbies are becoming more and more powerful.. Maybe GP India will be better off trying to fight the lobby as a whole, rather than doing this… This campaign to me seems like it’s picking on one company, even when they’ve said that Nestle India is GM-fee..
Of course, it was good to see that GP China was able to find traces of GM food in China.. Perhaps GP India will be better off using it’s impressive support to whip up cash for testing and exposing PRESENT GM-modified products in the country?
Would keep a watch on this page for responses, if any…
Hi Som,
we are also trying to ensure that GM crops are not commercialised in this country. Today in an hour from now the GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee) is meeting in Delhi to take a call on approval of GM Brinjal. This could open the floodgates for a host of other GM crops to be approved. We have been tryinig to put pressure on the government to stop this.
The testing data for GM Brinjal are inconsistent and inadequate. There is no conclusive proof that it is safe for human consumption.
We are continuing to focus our efforts on the government.
NO,we do not need GM food in India.
I wonder if all of us can get together to start an awareness programme about GM foods specially for the lesser educated people who would perhaps have not even have heard of GM foods and do our best to oppose them coming into the country and even other countries.
Good job GREENPEACE….Our Locality people have all stopped using Nestle Products…and I m trying to make more people aware of Nestle not using GM-Free products and have asked them to stop using any nestle products…SHAME on Nestle
Lage raho…..GREEN PEACE…….the bettle is not over yet….these companies have not stopped manufacturing GM food………we as moral resposibility and self interest can stop consuming product from NESTLE and BRITTANIA but the aim must be towards stopping them producing such food. We should make people aware about the side effects of GM food.
Nestle na INDIA e muito bom porque gera emprego para muitas pessoas .Mas por outro lado eu concordo com Raj says porque essas grandes empresas ricas e como os politicos do Brasil visa muito o bem proprio ,ELES NAO MOSTRAM os efeitos colaterais .No meu modo de pensar esses alimentos GM podem ser consumidos em todo o mundo mas, as maes das crianças devem educar seus filhos na hora da alimentaçao pois efeitos colaterais de alimentos so surgem se utilizados em exagero.POR EXEMPLO:a mae deve impor limites nos filhos esses alimentos podem ser usados nos finais de semana.
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Olá, primeiramente parabéns pelo blog. Achei o texto ótimo. Gostaria de saber se posso usar este texto no meu site – eu farei referência. Muito obrigado. Abs.