- Safeway -
As one of the nation's largest, most respected grocers, we share
and actively support our customers' interests in food safety
and environmental responsibility. To that end, we go to considerable
lengths to ensure that the products in our stores are wholesome
and properly handled, conform to all applicable health and safety
regulations, and comply with good manufacturing practices. Being
a retailer, we of course rely on government regulatory agencies
to determine whether various foods may be harmful to consumers
or to the environment. Specifically with respect to GM foods,
the federal Food and Drug Administration has tested and approved
numerous such foods. Currently, most products in virtually
all U.S. supermarkets contain genetically modified ingredients.
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- ....we do not currently envision refraining
from using GM substances in our private label products or from
selling GM foods.
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- Health and safety considerations aside,
we are in business to provide our customers with the products
they want to buy. Within legal confines, we merely reflect consumer
preferences as opposed to dictating them. Also, as a publicly
traded company, we must be mindful of our obligation to Safeway
sockholders to keep our operations fiscally sound. Food retailing
is an intensely competitve low-margin business. To remain successful,
we have to maintain or increase our sales base while controling
our costs. If we were to stop selling products that the vast
majority of our customers want to buy, we could be at a serious
competitive disadvantage.
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- Utz Quality Foods, Inc. - Utz, a maker of potato chips and snack foods,
acknowledges that it "does use genetically engineered ingredients
in the form of corn and corn derivatives to manufacture some
of our snack products". The Utz company indicated in their
response to our survey that it would not be willing to refrain
from using genetically engineered ingredients in all of its products.
In Utz's letter to FoE, they stated" .... the FDA does not
regard genetically engineered foods as any different from foods
produced through conventional means of plant breeding...."
They claim that, "Utz currently uses only non-GM potatoes
in our potato chip operations."
Albertson's
- Albertson's wrote "To our knowledge, none of the Corporate
Brands products are genetically modified. As far as any other
brands carried in our store, we are not aware that any, at this
time, are genetically engineered." Signed by their Vice
President, Product Quality & Environmental Affairs .
Campbell Soup Company - Campbell's wrote: "Campbell's use of genetically
engineered ingredients is small, restricted primarily to part
of its supplly of products derived from corn and soybeans. Much
of the current global supply of corn and soybeans includes a
mix of geneticlaly and non-genetically engineered crops. Genetically
enigneered crops are tested thoroughly for safety and many, such
as soybeans and corn, have been safely used around the world
for more than a decade. Our long-standing policy is to only use
ingredients that meet or exceed all government standards and
requirements. We hope this information is helpful to you. We
appreciate feedback like yours becasue it helps us become aware
of consumer preferences and concerns."
Canadaigua Brands, Inc: Canadaigua wrote "While we share your concerns
about the proper use and labeling of genetically engineered foods,
we do not have the staffing resources to respond to your survey
in your short time frame. As we do not grow corn for our own
needs and you have apparently received commitments from major
corn suppliers such as Cargill and ADM, I believe you have alreeady
addressed corn derivative products that we may use by going directly
to the source of those products. We wish you the best in your
efforts."
Friends of the Earth is left to conclude that pressure by profit-motivated
groups like the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) is
causing company CEO's to hold their tongues.
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