Food labelling claims rejected

The Director of Consumer Affairs has declined to act on claims that Irish supermarkets are misleading shoppers on the issue of labelling genetically modified (GM) foods.

Both Genetic Concern and Green MEP Ms Nuala Ahern had lodged formal complaints with the director's office about the labelling system introduced by the EU, which came into force in September. This was on the basis that leaflets outlining the new arrangements, distributed by Superquinn, Centra and Super Valu, were not conveying "meaningful and accurate information".

Much of the substance of the complaints concerned cases where the regulations required foods to be labelled when in fact they were not genetically modified - this arose where the source of produce such as soya or maize (used in up to 60 per cent of processed foods) was not definitely known, i.e. if they originated from a GM crop or from a segregated non-modified source.

The director, Ms Carmel Foley, found the labelling arrangements were in accordance with EU regulations. Nonetheless, the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, accepted in September that labelling provisions for such produce in general were inadequate. The European Commission has since attempted to tighten and clarify the regulations.

Ms Ahern said the decision was "very disappointing" as the director had not ruled on the majority of the points of issue. She accepted, however, the good faith of Superquinn, which had chosen update its leaflet.