2011/03/02

an open letter re: GMO foods

Dear Loblaws,

I'm an old customer of your products, particularly in Zehrs and valu
mart stores. I heard that you have pressured your suppliers not to
include claims of being GMO-free. While I understand there's no
Canadian government standard for labeling at this time, I do not agree
with this strategy. I want to know more about the food that I'm
buying, and in my opinion, some labels are better than none at all.
At least then independent researchers can investigate claims of being
GMO-free, as they currently do with green products. I find it
irresponsible to blame the government for lack of a standard, while
simultaneously stymieing your supplier's efforts. It simply takes
control, or the possibility of it, away from the public.

Especially now that I have a small child in my care, and given that
the long-term effects of GMOs are currently unknown, I have been
lately buying, and will continue to buy, less and less PC and no name
products while this issue continues. I appreciate the emergence of PC
Organics brands, but bullying your suppliers for advertising the fact
that their products are GMO-free I feel reveals different intentions.
So if you're only catering to the market, and not necessarily to the
well-being of your customers, well, you're losing this individual's
business, at least.

I will voice to the government the opinion of the vast majority of
Canadian consumers that we want GMO products to be labeled as such,
but until then I'm also voicing it to you in the hopes that you start
encouraging your suppliers to include such information, or better yet,
discourage your suppliers from using GMO ingredients until more is
known about the effects of their consumption, like similar chains in
the US and EU have already done. Don't keep Canada in the Dark Ages
just because you have the power to do so.

Sincerely,

Kevin Field
Ontario resident

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