Whole Food Action – the recently formed nertwork of wholefood stores – is calling on the trade to support a mass GM awareness-raising event.
Between 16 September and 16 October – taking in Organic September and Food Sovereignty Month (October) – The group is calling on retailers to spell out in store the words GMO OMG!
Whole Food Action wants people to send a message to the Government – which recently backed EU plans to allow the fast-tracking of GM crops – that they don’t want GM food pushed into the food system.
The group has created a ‘how to’ guide to help retailers to organise their own stunt. It includes a press release template to contact local media, webspace to publicise store events and upload pictures from the day, and ‘model’ flyers listing suggestions for a fairer, more sustainable food system.
Whole Food Action’s Ruth Strange told Natural Products that the GMO OMG! initiative is already drawing support from retailers, brands and wholesalers, as well as environment NGOs and GM campaigners.
Cheryl Thallon, MD at Viridian, one of the brands that has pledged support for the autumn event, told Natural Products: “Issues such as genetic modification, nano molecules, animal testing and artificial additives create dilemmas for the natural products sector, which deserve to be explored and debated. When the new Wholefood Action group appeared on social media with their GM campaign, Viridian was pleased to offer support. These ethical debates help to keep the natural products industry uniquely moral when compared to the mainstream.”
Natural Products editor, Jim Manson, said: “This bold initiative from Whole Food Action illustrates the distinctive ethics of the wholefood tradition and shows how independents can galvanise their communities by getting behind grass root campaigns that really make a difference.”
• See www.facebook.com/wholefoodaction to see how to get involved and help spread the word.
