London shoppers are getting a taste of the countryside today after Greenpeace released more than thirty costume cows into the flagship Sainsbury's store in Greenwich. The invasion is a protest against the supermarket chain's continued support for the GM industry.
Sainsbury's own-brand milk comes from cows fed on American GM animal feed. Although the company claims to lead its rivals in providing quality food, Sainsbury's is supporting the import of thousands of tonnes of GM into the UK every month.
The UK imports approximately one million tonnes of unsegregated soya and maize each year, mostly for use in animal feed. Over half the soya and one quarter of the maize grown in the United States is genetically modified (GM). The US soya and maize industry claim it is impossible to segregate GM and non-GM crops. The UK government says that a 'substantial proportion' of UK imports will contain GM material.
Greenpeace welcomes the Co-op's decision to say no to the commercial growing of GM crops in the UK, and to ban GM ingredients, including animal feed, from throughout its business.
