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Green diamond makes ‘without new genetic engineering’ clearly recognisable too

08/05/2026 - 84 per cent of consumers consider the well-known green ‘Ohne GenTechnik’ [Non GMO] seal to be a good way of recognising that their food is produced without new genetic engineering (NGT).

This was found in a wide-ranging market research study commissioned by VLOG. According to the study, most respondents consider it important to be able to explicitly recognise the exclusion of NGT when shopping in supermarkets. The green ‘Ohne GenTechnik’ [Non GMO] diamond, introduced back in 2009 by the then Federal Minister of Agriculture, Ilse Aigner, is obviously the right way to meet this current consumer demand.

Following the decision in June 2026 to abolish the EU’s mandatory GMO labelling requirement for most NGT plants, products such as bread, beer, bananas or baby food could also involve genetic engineering from 2028 onwards, without this being apparent from the list of ingredients. The well-established ‘Ohne GenTechnik’ [Non GMO] seal will therefore become even more important in future to ensure transparency on supermarket shelves.

For the VLOG, it is a matter of course that the ‘Ohne GenTechnik’ [Non GMO] seal also stands for ‘without NGT’. The very legal basis of the state-initiated food label does not permit any other practice, as all types of NGT continue to be classified as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) even following the watering down of EU regulations. And GMOs are excluded from ‘Non-GMO’ and organic production.

For this comprehensive market research study, Prof Dr Holger Buxel from Münster University of Applied Sciences surveyed 1,057 representatively selected adults from Germany in April 2026, conducting an in-depth survey on the topic of new genetic engineering in food. When asked, “How suitable do you find the ‘Ohne Gentechnik’ label for identifying whether a food product has been produced without new genetic engineering?”, 53 per cent answered “very suitable” and 31 per cent “somewhat suitable”. Only 1 per cent found it ‘not at all suitable’ for this purpose, whilst 2 per cent said it was ‘somewhat unsuitable’. 13 per cent were undecided.

Results of the consumer survey “Using NGT in food products: Consumer acceptance and labeling expectations”, Prof. Dr. Holger Buxel

Market research: Consumers want clear labelling even for “New Genetic Engineering“ in food

Also New Genetic Engineering must remain clearly identifiable