With a new federal labeling standard on the way, food company executives told the Wall Street Journal that consumers want GMO products labeled. The Wall Street Journal gathered executives in agribusiness, consumer products and government to explore challenges and opportunities in the industry last week. A loud voice in the labeling acceptance world, Campbell Soup Company, says the company supports labeling because consumers want transparency. Meanwhile, Panera Bread’s founders say they are “not taking a unilateral position on GMOs,” but added Panera supports GMO labeling because that is what their customers want. However, executives of Wal-Mart took a different angle. A Wal-Mart spokesperson says “the debate never should have been about labeling, but rather about whether GMOs are safe or not, and relying on science as the guide.” Wal-Mart officials say food producers and retailers may have to educate consumers to close the gap between perceived and actual risk, but added the company will “always offer what the customer wants.”
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.