Whole Foods Promises to Label GMOs!
Yahoo! On Friday, Whole Foods announced that all products in its North American stores that contain genetically modified ingredients will be labeled as such by 2018!
I wish that they could implement it sooner than 2018, but it's my understanding that it takes that long for companies to sell out of their existing products and get new labels on their products. And it's crazy to think that 2018 actually is only 5 years away. It feels like a lifetime from now!
This is exactly what us Californians were hoping for with Prop 37 on the ballot in November and even though it didn’t pass, Whole Foods heard us! Whole Foods is the first store in the US to institute the labeling policy, but hopefully not the last.
It would be even greater if this type of policy in grocery stores encouraged more food companies to make products that don’t contain GMOs. A.C. Gallo, the president of Whole Foods, said that because in the UK (where there are 7 Whole Foods stores) already requires GMO labeling, there aren’t many products that have GMO ingredients. Apparently the UK is far more sensible than the U.S. In this department… but that's great news!
To tell the FDA and Congress to implement GMO labeling for all food, products, you can sign this petition at JustLabelIt.org.
Do you think this will make an difference in eliminating GMOs?
What kind of impact do you think it will have on your own shopping habits? Will you shop at Whole Foods more now?
36 comments
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Glad to hear that Whole Foods and Trader Joe's will be labeling GMOS I wish we had those too stores here in Alaska I love both of them but we don`t no fair maybe one day -
Hey Alicia, yes I think it's awesome that Whole Foods has taken this step to expose GMOs. Yet another article I read yesterday poses the question, "Why so long?" 2018 is five years away and Whole Foods in Europe have already labeled their GMOs. Why is it taking so long for labeling in U.S. and Canada. -
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I just signed the petition and I think it's a start.Maybe it will motivate other large chain stores possibly sooner than 2018.All these stores seem to be competitive with each other when they want our money but why can't they compete to do a little good?I bet that would be good for business. -
WOW i'm thrilled about this!!!
I'm happy WholeFoods is taking charge above government and doing right by us. -
Many ethical vegans dislike Whole Foods because it sells animal products, yet Whole Foods would not have the influence they do if they didn't cater to the majority of the US population. I already love the way they educate the public about making healthy, more ethical choices, and support local merchants, and if anything, will shop there more to thank them for achieving what the voters were unable to, not for lack of trying, but because of the powerful vested interests. I do believe this is a turning point, because informed consumers will vote with their dollars against GMOs.
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I've been shopping at Whole Foods long before it was popular to do so. I'm still waiting for them to thank me for their huge success! I think their labelling of GMO products shows some forward thinking and I am hopeful that other markets will follow suit just to keep up with them. Too bad that it will take so long!
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I keep hearing that GMO labeling is a "right to know" issue but the last paragraph betrays the true intention which is an attack on GM technology itself. Why would this "eliminate" GMOs? Why would you want to? How can you justify that attitude?
I'll will not be shopping at Whole Foods anymore.-
Exactly. I really think people need a greater understanding GM technology before they condemn it and decide it is bad. Just what are those views based on?-
There are quite a few unknowns. One of the bad things is the use of pesticides that have an adverse effect on humans and foid animals. Also, using gmo crops overall can put an enture crop at risk to disease that could for instance wipe out a whole foid source. Don't believe me. The American Chestnut, the American Elm. These species were destroyed by a previouslyunknown disease process. DNA is complicated. I don't think it is completely know which genes are turned off or on by genetic tampering. There are phytochemicals that are not even discovered yet that may be necessary to metabolism and nutrition. Does Monsanto kmow the outcomes. It may be fine to use gmo corn for ethanol. May be a bad choice to nourish humans. But if the gmo corn is universal or contaminates the whole of the natural crop....
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Jane, this article was about the "right to know". Why are you dissenting with ploys of uncertainty? The challenges of biotech are not unique to agriculture. I'm not sure how your example of the American Chestnut serves to illustrate GM unknowns but GM technology can very well bring them back!
http://common-resources.org/2012/will-biotech-help-bring-back-the-american-chestnut/
If you really are afraid of unknowns you would do better to ban other forms of plant breeding like hybridization or mutagenesis. GM changes only a few genes, less unknowns there. None of your concerns are unique to GM.
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I am liking this site less and less. The Trop 50 ad is still up,GMO and NOT vegan,and now back flips for labeling 5 years from now. wow.
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definitely a step in the right direction although I hate that it takes so long to move forward. -
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yay! i love whole foods!! i started shopping there almost exclusively since our publix put in a live lobster tank, refused to take it out, and i found out whole foods has a policy against those since humane treatment cannot be guaranteed down the supply chain. one more reason to shop there! -
5 years you have got to be kidding me. They are telling us that they are selling food that has been sitting around for 5 years. Or it takes 5 years to do new labels. That's a good one ha ha. I applaud labeling GMO's but 5 years?
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it's not that the food is sitting around for 5 years, or that it takes that long for labels to be made, it's the fact that this isn't mandatory by the government, so Whole Foods is taking this upon themselves to implement and work with the companies to get the GMOs out of the food, or to get them labeled..
it's not going to happen over night, and I'm sure not every company is going to be that happy about having to change.. so 5 years doesn't seem so unreasonable considering all the work that's going to have to take place..
however Whole Foods did say that 5 years is just the deadline, many of the changes will happen well before that and they will be announcing key milestones along the way
this is great news! :)
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How is it possible that the good people of the State of CA voted against food labeling (prop 37)? I always though of CA as the progressive ahead of the curve state. I was shocked when I learned Prop 37 failed. -
It saddened me when Prop 37 didn't pass so it makes me happy to know that someone finally decided to hear what we wanted in GMO labeling. It's really not for those who know what to look for in the labels but for those consumers who have no idea. Good job Whole Foods! -
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