Shoppers Guide

Food companies continue to use genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in our food, ignoring the wishes of the majority of Canadians. One company in particular stands out. Loblaw Companies Ltd. is the largest grocery retailer in Canada and owns both the President’s Choice and No Name brands. With more than 1 100 stores in Canada operating under the names Loblaws, Zehrs, Real Canadian Superstore, Provigo, Maxi, SuperValu, Extra Foods, Shop Easy, Lucky Dollar, Independent, Cash & Carry, Dominion in Newfoundland, Valu-mart, Fortinos, No Frills, Atlantic Superstore and Atlantic SaveEasy, what Loblaws decides determines what you are eating.

Greenpeace is calling on Loblaws to:
• Commit to the removal of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients from President’s Choice, No Name and other Loblaws brand name products.
• As an interim measure, immediately begin labelling products which contain GE ingredients and stop preventing suppliers from labelling products “Non-GE.”
• Instruct suppliers that Loblaws will begin a phase-out of all products in their stores that contain GE ingredients. Retailers around the world have stopped experimenting on their
customers and have refused to sell GE foods. Sainsbury’s in England, Carrefour in France and Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods in North America have all committed to the removal of GE foods in their name brand products.

What is GE Food?
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are created by taking genes from organisms such as bacteria, viruses or animals and inserting them into other, often unrelated, species. Unlike traditional breeding, genetic engineering creates new organisms that would never occur in nature, creating new and unpredictable health and environmental risks. The term ‘genetically engineered (GE) food’ refers to any product containing or derived from GMOs. In Canada, up to 70 per cent of the processed foods found in grocery stores contain GE ingredients. The most common GE ingredients come from crops like corn, soy, canola and cotton. Biotechnology companies like Monsanto genetically engineer these crops to produce a pesticide or to withstand the application of herbicides.
Most recently, biotech companies have inserted herbicide-resistance genes into wheat, fish genes into strawberries, human genes into fish and pharmaceuticals like birth control into corn. While we have yet to see the commercialization of these particular products, it’s just a matter a time before newer and stranger GMOs make their way onto your table and into the environment.