Vegetarian Society GMO stance
17 February 1999
| The Vegetarian Society has joined calls for a five year moratorium on the commercial growing of genetically modified crops and has pledged to support the Freeze campaign launched yesterday by the Genetic Engineering Alliance. The Society operates a food labelling scheme known as the 'V' or seedling symbol which appears on approximately 2,000 products and is used by over 300 companies. From August 1st 1999 the Society's symbol will not appear on any foods containing GM crops.
The Vegetarian Society's policy concerning genetically engineered crops states: "Genetically Modified products or products containing Genetically Modified ingredients are not acceptable to the Vegetarian Society because the Society believes it is impossible to guarantee that such products are completely in accordance with the Society's vegetarian principles." The Vegetarian Society's 'V' symbol is recognised as the most trusted guarantee of vegetarian suitability. Food companies using the symbol are currently being asked to confirm their GM status and contracts will be renewed only with clients guaranteeing their GM free status. The criteria also ensure that the product or ingredients have not been tested on animals. The Society finds unacceptable any form of genetic engineering that has a detrimental effect on the environment, on the health of individuals or on the welfare of animals. The new policy acknowledges that more research is needed into the potential long-term risks associated with the technology and that the development of GM foods brings into effect ethical issues, which are a concern to vegetarians. The Society believes an effective and compulsory labelling scheme must be introduced to ensure consumer choice over the consumption of GM foods. The Society believes that any animal experiments taking place in order to develop GM foods are ethically unacceptable and unnecessary. Notes to editors:
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The Society will continue to endorse cheese developed using genetic engineering. Approximately 70 - 80% of UK produced cheese is now suitable for vegetarians. Vegetarian cheese was developed over ten years ago and has been commercially available since 1991. The Vegetarian Society endorsed vegetarian cheese in order to reduce the suffering of animals and with the long term view of bringing an end to the use of animal rennet in the cheese making process.
