This is perhaps one of the most controversial decisions ever made by food manufacturers. Today, they announced that they will initiate a program that will provide consumers information if food items are GMO or not.
Fortune Magazine reports that the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) revealed a new labelling technology that will give consumers access to detailed information about thousands of food products. By simply scanning a QR code or barcode on the food item, consumers can immediately see detailed information using their smart phones.
More than 30 major food giants such as Pepsi, ConAgra, Hormel, Campbell Soup, Land O'Lakes, Coca Cola, Nestle, Hershey and General Foods have pledged to participate in the SmartLabel Initiative. This technology will give you information on the ingredients, third-party certifications, social compliance programs, usage instructions, advisories and safe handling instructions, company/brand information and any possible presence of genetically modified organisms (GMO).
Consumers without smart phones can still access this information as they are easily available online. Some of the retailers will make it accessible through their customer service desk. By the end of 2017, the technology will be available on 30,000 products. It is projected that within 5 years, almost 80 percent of food , beverage, pet care, personal care and household products will be using SmartLabels.
The announcement came after the FDA approved the first genetically engineered animal (fast growing salmon) as safe for consumption last month. This resulted to a call for labelling by many consumers.
According to reports from Food Processing, GMA which represents the largest food and beverage companies in Washington said that the transformative new program is designed so consumers can easily access information on a wide variety of products in just a click or two.
However, Scott Faber, executive director of "Just Label It" doesn't see SmartLabels as a solution. He believes that the QR code won't have enough information that consumers need. More so, according to the Pew Research Center, around one third of Americans still don't have smart phones and this could be a great challenge to the initiative. This group is also reported to be older, less educated and less affluent.
Faber also raised another concern that information about GMO may be hidden behind a tab marked "Other" which consumers may not check. GMA believes that genetic engineering should not be stigmatized. "If we made it more prominent than the other attributes, that would be stigmatizing," said Denzel McGuire, GMA executive vice president.
Do you think SmartLabels is just a cover up to pre-empt mandatory labelling to GMO food products? Let us know your thoughts by leaving your comments below. Don't forget to share on Facebook!