Two supermarket groups have vowed to dodge the government’s GM labelling laws when they are enforced in two weeks time, by guaranteeing that certain brands are GM-free.
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According to the new laws, every single product containing GM ingredients must carry a label.
Foodstuffs, which controls the Pak ‘N Save, New World and Four Square chains, said it would avoid the labelling requirement by ensuring that the GM-content of its house brands were below the 0.1% threshold.
Meanwhile, Progressive Enterprises, owner of the Foodtown, Countdown and 3Guys chains, said it would guarantee to consumers that all the products in its Basics and Signature ranges do not contain ingredients derived from GE crops. Thus no product in those ranges will require labelling.
Merchandise general manager Mark Brosnan noted however that Progressive will not be able to state categorically that its products were all GE-free, because the Fair Trading Act has yet to rule on a definition of GE
