Leading Grocers Pledge to Keep Cloned Food Off Shelves
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Nick Berning, 202-222-0748
Albertsons, PCC Natural Markets, SUPERVALU and Harris Teeter will not sell meat and dairy from cloned animals; Friends of the Earth continues to seek commitments from other groups
Washington, D.C.—Four national grocery store chains have pledged to keep cloned meat and dairy products off of their shelves in response to a request from Friends of the Earth, the environmental group announced today.
This spring, Friends of the Earth presented grocery store chains more than 8,000 signatures from consumers urging them to reject products made from cloned animals. Albertsons, PCC Natural Markets, SUPERVALU and Harris Teeter responded with letters indicating they will not stock such products.
“Grocers are recognizing that people do not want to eat food from cloned animals,” said Gillian Madill of Friends of the Earth. “Food safety authorities must also recognize this and enact labeling regulations that protect Americans’ fundamental right to choose what they eat.”
While the four aforementioned chains responded affirmatively to Friends of the Earth’s request, other chains, including Safeway and Whole Foods, have not yet replied.
Friends of the Earth’s outreach to grocers parallels work being done by the Center for Food Safety with food producers. The Center for Food Safety is announcing today that it has received commitments from Kraft Foods, General Mills and Gerber/Nestle, among others, indicated that they will not be using ingredients from clones or their offspring. More information on that effort is available here.
In addition to voluntary action from grocers and producers, the groups are calling on the Food and Drug Administration to take regulatory action to prevent cloned animals from entering the food supply.
Letters Friends of the Earth has received from grocers regarding this subject are available at /Company_Statements_On_Cloning.
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Friends of the Earth (foe.org) is the U.S. voice of the world’s largest grassroots environmental network, with member groups in 70 countries. Since 1969, Friends of the Earth has been at the forefront of high-profile efforts to create a more healthy, just world.