Genetically modified food
We were the first major supermarket (in July 1999) to respond to customers' concerns and eliminate genetically modified (GM) ingredients from all our own-brand food, vitamin and dietary supplements, and pet food. We also stock a large range of organic foods, which are not allowed to contain any GM ingredients.
We offer the following products from animals fed on non-GM soya and maize proteins – this information is prominently displayed on the packs:
- All our fresh and frozen chicken
- Free-range eggs
- Fresh outdoor-reared pork
- Outdoor reared bacon
- Taste the Difference 21-day matured beef
- Traditional beef.
We have investigated selling products only from animals fed on a non-GM diet. But we found that moving to non-GM animal feed would significantly add to farmers' costs because GM ingredients are not segregated in most commercial feed. This means it is not feasible, at least in the near future, to move entirely to non-GM products. We are keeping this matter under regular review, in the light of customer demand for items such as non-GM milk.
Our position on milk
Our mainstream milk comes from cows that may have been fed on GM crops, but this does not mean that the milk contains any GM ingredients. Several scientific studies by well-respected organisations have found no GM material in milk samples from cows fed on a GM diet. Our milk is sourced from the British dairy farms that supply other UK supermarkets as well as hotels, schools and hospitals.
Many customers wanted to buy non-organic milk from cows fed on a non-GM diet and in 2004 we became the only major supermarket company to meet this demand. After extensive work, we launched a trial of semi-skimmed milk from selected farms which supplement the grass-based diet of their cows with non-GM protein, grains and oils. This milk is now on sale in nearly 200 of our stores.
Our position on cotton
Most of Sainsbury's cotton products originate from countries that do not use GM cotton seed. The likelihood of GM being present is low. The nature of the global market in cotton makes it difficult to identify precisely where the cotton is grown and we therefore cannot guarantee that any of our products are non-GM.
Our position on honey
Sainsbury's honey is only produced by suppliers that operate a six-mile radius exclusion zone between bee hives and GM trial sites. These suppliers are members of the Honey Association which carries out regular testing to ensure that there is no contamination of honey with pollen derived from GM plants.
