Within the next five years, all products sold in Whole Foods stores in the U.S. and Canada will be labeled to indicate if they contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), according to a recent announcement.
The national grocery chain says it has collaborated for years with many of its supplier partners to source products without GMO ingredients. In 2009, Whole Foods began putting its 365 Everyday Value line through Non-GMO Project verification and encouraging its grocery supplier partners to do the same.
“The prevalence of GMOs in the U.S. paired with nonexistent mandatory labeling makes it very difficult for retailers to source non-GMO options and for consumers to choose non-GMO products,” said Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market. “We are putting a stake in the ground on GMO labeling to support the consumer’s right to know.”
Whole Foods says it currently sells more than 3,000 non-GMO products from 250 brands — more than any other retailer in North America. To achieve its 2018 goal, the company plans to work with suppliers in all categories to either transition to non-GMO ingredients or clearly label products containing GMOs.
GMOs are now part of an ongoing national conversation, thanks to the efforts of various advocacy groups such as JustLabelIt.org and state governments considering their own labeling laws.
“We’re responding to our customers, who have consistently asked us for GMO labeling and we are doing so by focusing on where we have control: in our own stores,” Robb added. “While we are encouraged by the many mandatory labeling initiatives, we are committed to moving forward with our own GMO transparency plan now.”
Whole Foods has already engaged in several practices aimed at product transparency — it uses a 5-Step Animal Welfare rating in meat, the Eco-Scale to rate cleaning products and wild and farm-raised standards in seafood.
While the Food and Drug Administration and other authorities say genetically modified foods do not pose a health risk, consumers are beginning to place more importance on GMO-free products than those only certified as organic.
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
Founder & Principal Consultant, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering best-in-class strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Mar 12, 2013 1pm EDT / 10am PDT / 5pm GMT / 6pm CET