An EU study by three academics has concluded 
that most consumers are not concerned about buying GM foods.
My MEP Robert Sturdy hosted a press conference in Brussels to promote the report, entitled "Do European Consumers Buy GM Foods?”
There are at least 69 grocery products on sale in Europe labelled as containing genetically modified ingredients, mostly soya based. The study highlighted:
* Although the number and range of genetically modified products is limited, where they are available, consumers buy them.
* Whatever people say in opinion polls, most do not actively avoid GM foods in the grocery stores, suggesting that they are not greatly concerned with the GM issue. Also contrary to previous beliefs, other studies have confirmed that, unprompted, GM does not appear high in a list of worries about food.
* Retailers consider them to be worth stocking and consumers must buy them in sufficient quantities to meet commercial requirements.
Robert believes that growing economic, social and legislative pressures means that we must facilitate a real, well-balanced debate when it comes to agri-food and fuel crops. He recognise that this is a nationally politically sensitive issue – but that is not a reason to shy away from it. Crucially, decisions should be based on sound scientific evidence, not scaremongering.
The academics who carried out the study in 10 EU countries were Dr Vivian Moses, from London; Dr Victoria Wibeck, from Sweden; and Prof Louis Kembow, from Spain.
Why invoke popular opinion on one subject but not another ?
“Most consumers not concerned about GM food.”
Robert listens
“Most people reject the EU”
Robert doesn’t listen
Spot the difference, anyone ???
Paaaarp !
“As you will be aware Dr Vivian Moses speaks on behalf of CropGEN which is funded by the GE Food industry (Monsanto, Aventis, Syngenta)to spread their point of view.” SEE http://ngin.tripod.com/240702d.htm
Kevin, aka Charles Saatchi, very funny!
Geoff, that makes it all the more intersting as the EU is perceived as not being GMO supportive.
Whichever view you take, the other side will always claim it is propaganda. Decisions will have to be made based on scientific results and not emotional reactions. Both sides ultimately want the same objective – to provide sustainable crops to feed the world’s future generations – I hope that a continued debate will one day lead to consensual agreement, that the differences will narrowed.
OK, I fess up.
I’d left the setting since my last visit and couldn’t do anything about it after I’d posted.
The “Paaarp !” was genuine though – it certainly wasn’t me.;-)
“Retailers consider them to be worth stocking and consumers must buy them in sufficient quantities to meet commercial requirements.”
hmmm – I wonder
if organic and/or other non-gm food were subsidised and/or cheaper would it sell more.
If the supermatlets stocked their shelves with only organic and/or other non-gm food (at a fair or cheaper price) would they sell less?
Me thinks not.
However GM is a wide ranging concept. Any selective breeding – whether beef, free range chicken or even organic eggs is inherently genetically modified.
As for deeper (or more complex) GM, I’m sure there are benefits to developing drought and/or disease resistant strains of any crop.
And I wish humans could be genetically modified to be able to replace broken or lost teeth like sharks, or grow nes limbs like starfish – but I still don’t see that happening anytime soon.
PS – Whether GM or not, I seem to have lost the appetite for bananas and most fruit. Because they are picked too green (not ripe) to look good on the supermarket shelve, and even if ‘ripened’ to the point of having yellow skin – it is clear that the banana is starchy and not as sweet as one ripened on the tree, ie: mot picked green. Same for plums and other fruits. Even after having travelled half way round the world and presented on our shelves as fresh and ‘ripe’ fruit, they are not what I would call ‘fresh’ or ripened fruit.
But hey I personally have no use for soya.
What is it used for? – Does it feed the hungry, or is it mainly used for animal feed?
And I have no time for Tofu, has anything more flavourless ever been invented?
I guess Bird’s Eye peas frozen straight from the pod, thought they would one day feed the world. Yet I dare say that 75% of peas that are sold in the shops, end up being scraped off the plate into the bin or composter. Just because something sells (even a best seller) in the shops, does not mean that everyone eats it – or proof of the amount eaten.
GM foods are being foisted on British people by stealth. They don’t want them, but are slowly being given them.
Q9, that’s an interesting point you make about soya. I don’t eat it – yet.
The truth is we don’t know what is genetically modified and what isn’t on the whole. And corn one of those modified appears everywhere, but basically hidden in all kinds of products.
I use Soya drink instead of milk – cut out the middleman (The Cow)!
Also try edamame in Japanese restaurants 🙂
With a financial crisis well under way, I think many people are just glad that they have any food at all and don’t care whether it has been scientifically modified.
http://lettersfromatory.wordpress.com
Letters from a Tory, yes, it is not people with empty tummies who complain about GMOs.
If you look at the history of agriculture you can see that virtually everything we consume, vegetable and animal, has been genetically modified over the centuries. I say if GM helps feed the planet, then it cannot be entirely bad.