Top UK food retailers to ban meat and dairy products from animals fed on genetically engineered (GE) crops

Tegel Foods NZ Ltd has the same option

Auckland, 30th January, 2001 – As two of the top three food retailers in the UK, Tesco and Asda, announced their intention to sell only GE free fed animals, Greenpeace highlights the ability of New Zealand companies to do the same.

Tesco and Asda have committed to sell own-brand meat products coming only from farm animals fed with non- genetically engineered (GE) feed, and move towards selling non-GE dairy products as well (1,2).

Tegel Foods Ltd, New Zealand’s largest poultry supplier currently uses approximately 20 thousand tons per year of GE contaminated soya to feed its chickens. The GE soya accounts for 20% of the chickens diet.

“Greenpeace is calling on Tegel to commit to sourcing only GE free soya for its animal feed,” said Lindsay Keenan, Greenpeace International GE campaigner.

Tegel has previously claimed to Greenpeace that it is either impossible to source the large volumes of non-GE soya required or that it would be too expensive. “The decision by Tesco and Asda demonstrates that the volumes are certainly available and according to information from these two companies any price difference is negligible,” said Keenan.

Recently, other multinational food companies such as Carrefour in Belgium, Wiesenhof in Germany, Burger King throughout Europe and McDonald’s (for its chicken) across Europe, have announced their intention to sell or use only animals fed with non-GE feed.

The Royal Commission on Genetic Modification has resumed its hearings this week and Greenpeace will be presenting its submission on February 16.

For more information: Lindsay Keenan Tel: 09 630 6317,

Tamsin Vuetilovoni 025 790-817

Notes for Editors
(1) Asda is owned by Walmart, the world's largest retailer. Tesco is ranked number six worldwide by company revenue (Washington Post, Nov 19, 2000).

(2) At the first stage of the phase out, both Tesco and Asda expect to be able to sell non-GE pork, poultry, eggs and fish from this July/ August, with other products to follow.

© Scoop Media

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