Hong Kong Retailers Nervous About GMO Foods

January 13, 2000

Faced with threats from Greenpeace and increased media attention, Hong Kong supermarket chains are being forced to address the concerns of certain interest groups that their foods may contain genetically modified ingredients. A USDA attache report cautions U.S. food exporters to be aware of the nervousness retailers are experiencing.

Greenpeace activists entered a Wellcome Supermarket outlet Jan. 3 and demanded the store stop sales of candy bars they claimed contained GMO ingredients produced in the United States. The other major supermarket chain, Park 'N Shop, responded a day later by announcing it will eliminate within six months all GMO ingredients from the 600 products it now sells under its own label and label them as GMO free.

Hong Kong's Legislative Council adopted a motion Jan. 5 to "draw on the experience of most member states of the European Union and expeditiously legislate for a labeling system" and to "conduct strict examinations and tests" on genetically modified foods.

Responding to that action, Environment and Food Bureau Secretary Lily Yam acknowledged the importance of consumers' right to know about GMO food content and promised her bureau will adopt a rational, practical and cautious attitude to study carefully the feasibility of establishing a GMO foods labeling system.

She also pointed out that the current legislative charter provides her agency only the discretion to address threats to public health and there is no documented proof that GMO foods pose such a threat.

"While holding the line for now against immediate moves toward mandatory labeling, the Hong Kong government will come under increasing pressure in the coming months to implement a mandatory labeling policy for GMO foods," the report says.

"Even if that decision is postponed or avoided altogether, U.S. food exporters doing business in Hong Kong need to heed the signs that retailers are nervous about GMO foods and are being pushed toward sourcing GMO-free products."