Shoppers to be warned about GM content

4.07.24pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 22nd Apr 2004

Sarah Ludford continues to campaign for Londoners' right to avoid GM products, and opposes them being grown in the UK

London's Liberal Democrat Euro-MP has welcomed new requirements, which came into force this week, that shoppers must be told whether the food products on supermarket shelves contain genetically modified material.

Baroness Sarah Ludford said that consumers needed the information so that they could decide for themselves what to buy.

"This change will mean that consumers can decide whether or not to eat food with genetically modified ingredients. People simply will not trust the developments in food science unless we insist on complete openness and transparency," she said.

Last year the European Parliament faced down opposition from US manufacturers to insist on the introduction of clear labelling rules.

All products with a GM content of more than 0.9 per cent will be required to carry labels at least as large as those listing ingredients.

But in practice most supermarkets have long since removed GM foods from their shelves because of consumer demand for non-GM products.

"In the UK Blair is listening to the US and not to UK people over this issue. He must respect the views of British people; we don't want GM".

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