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GE - Totnes says GMO-free is the only Safeway!!!


***PRESS RELEASE***
For immediate use 5/3/99

Totnes says GMO-free is the only Safeway!!!

A large crowd is expected tomorrow, Saturday March 6, at 11.30am, when local
people will gather at the Safeway supermarket in Totnes. They are to protest
against genetic engineering in food.
Organised by South Hams Against Genetics the protest will feature music
ranging
from Brazilian samba sounds to Celtic and Breton, along with colourful
banners,
costumes and puppets.
Spokesperson Mark Jackson said "In view of grave potential risks GMOs pose to
our environment and human health, the uncertainties that exist, the lack of
open debate, and the overwhelming public opposition to genetic engineering in
food, we have two demands to make of Safeway;
1:  that Safeway commit themselves to making their stores GMO-free, and
2:  that in the meantime Safeway segregate all products containing genetically
modified organisms on separate shelves.
Labelling GMO products is not enough. It doesn't remove the problem, and puts
an unfair onus on the consumer."
A poll will today be conducted to survey the attitudes of Totnes Safeway
customers towards genetically engineered food, and the results will be
presented tomorrow to the store manager.

___________________________________________________
Notes to editors:
1.) Safeways policy on genetically modified foods is to label products
containing GMO's as required by EU legislation, however, their labelling does
not extend to the 95% of genetically engineered food that does not have to be
labelled by law.

2.) The new head of public affairs at Monsanto will be Tony Coombes, who is
now
head of Corporate Affairs at Safeway. He used to be head of environmental
affairs at   Safeway. 

3.) South Hams Against Genetics can be contacted on either 07970 873 643 or
07930 564 667.