GE Free New Zealand In Food And Environment Inc.

PRESS RELEASE –13 May 2002

Consumers - let down by manufacturers - welcome GE food guide and the right to choose

Consumers are welcoming the new Greenpeace food guide as allowing people to exercise their basic right to choose , and to influence the market with their spending power.

GE-Free NZ spokesperson Jon Carapiet says the booklet does a better service to consumers than many manufacturers have done by their refusal to voluntarily label GE and GE-Free products .

" Market forces have been failing because people have been deceived by not knowing which companies are avoiding GE and which are supporting it, " said Jon Carapiet

But there are fears the consumer is going to be forced to eat GE foods whether they like it or not. " There are claims that the food system is already contaminated - and that no foods can be guaranteed GE-Free. But this is more industry games to delay labelling. We utterly reject the idea that all food has already been contaminated and that it is too late". said Jon.

The ANZFA rules have loopholes that means consumers can be deceived. Even now the rules that already allow the use of hidden GE-derived ingredients is under threat by the Australian delegates at the meeting of the food authority Codex Alimentarius.

"The basis for introducing GE crops is that people must expect contamination in all foods- even organics.

That level would be 1% contamination- That means NO choice."

ENDS For more info:- Jon Carapiet 09 815 3370

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