March 30, 2011
 

"Sustainable" GM soy label gains popularity among UK supermarkets

UK supermarkets are registering for a new labelling scheme that advertises genetically modified soy, according to environmental groups.

Sainsbury's is the latest major retailer to register with the Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS) after Asda, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer.

The scheme will tag GM soy as "sustainable" as long as the farmer protects wildlife, uses pesticides responsibly and respects workers' rights.

However, environmental groups are divided over the controversial label, with WWF backing the idea of Friends of the Earth and others insisting it will encourage more GM to be utilised in the UK food chain.

Some three million tonnes of soy is already imported into the UK very year, a large percentage of which is GM, at a cost of more than GBP1 billion (US$1.6 billion).

The bulk of the GM soy is used as animal feed for pigs and cows. This means that meat and dairy sold in supermarkets and used in major brands, mostly processed, is from animals fed with GM feed.