Press
Survey: "Ohne GenTechnik" should not include any new genetic engineering either
Food production without GMOs will also be in focus at the Anuga food fair from 7 to11 October 2023 in Cologne, Germany, as part of the Anuga trend topic "Clean Label". In a representative survey conducted on behalf of VLOG in the run-up to the fair in September 2023, the opinion research institute Civey asked 1,162 respondents familiar with the "Ohne GenTechnik" seal whether they expect a product labelled with it to also be free of components created using new genetic engineering methods such as CRISPR. A total of 81 percent of the respondents answered yes. 70 percent even clearly answered with "yes, definitely", 11 percent with "rather yes". Only 9 percent do not have this expectation (6 percent "definitely not", 3 percent "rather not"), 10 percent are undecided.
Consumers do not want to be deceived
"Consumers do not want to be deceived. Their expectations are consistent and clear: 'Ohne Gentechnik' should not contain any new genetic engineering, despite all attempts by the EU Commission and genetic engineering producers to exclude new genetic engineering methods such as CRISPR from regulation and to foist them on consumers without labelling," comments VLOG Managing Director Alexander Hissting.
Deregulation debate: Potential and challenge at the same time
"The discussion about new genetic engineering and its possible deregulation has the potential to make the 'Ohne GenTechnik' seal even more important in the future. Already today, the use of GMOs in the production of food of animal origin is obscured. In the future, this could be the case for all foods, including plant-based ones. If the EU Commission succeeds with its plan, it would be unclear for many foods without the seal whether they contain genetic engineering. For producers and retailers in the "Ohne Gentechnik" and organic sectors, it would be an enormous challenge and costly to continue to guarantee the GMO-free status of their products without a legal labelling obligation. VLOG is therefore continuing to campaign for a full legal labelling requirement for all GM foods at Anuga 2023."
Anuga meeting of VLOG and AöL on the labelling of GMOs
On 10 October at 11:00, VLOG, together with the Association of Organic Food Producers (AöL), invites to the Anuga event "Obtaining full GMO labelling for the benefit of consumers and the food industry" with representatives of businesses and the media at the Congress-Centrum East at Koelnmesse, conference room 1-2. An Anuga ticket is required for on site participate.
Anuga 2023: Obtaining full GMO labelling
Foodwatch survey: Almost everyone wants labelling and risk assessment for new genetic engineering
Expert opinion: EU Commission's genetic engineering plans are illegal