Thank you for taking action to advocate for a Non-GMO Produce Section at your local grocery store. We know that your voice as a customer is the most powerful voice that influences store policy, so thank you for doing your part! Please report any information back to me or let me know how your conversations went. You can send me an email, or if you would prefer to speak over the phone, we can set up a time to chat. For either option, I can be reached at outreach@cban.ca. Thank you! Fionna – CBAN Campaigner

Steps & tips to visit your local grocery store

1. Read CBAN’s “Guide to a Non-GMO Produce Section” and print a copy to give to staff in the store.
2. Remember that there’s no mandatory labelling of GMOs in Canada, so GM fruits and vegetables will not be labelled for you or the produce manager. The only way to know if something in the produce section is GM is to ask the store managers to investigate for you. (Whole Foods has pledged to label GMOs in all their stores which is why the GM sweet corn is labelled as “bioengineered” on their signs. Do not expect this at other stores.)

 Ask to speak to the Store Manager and/or the Produce Manager. Here are some talking points as a guide:

Talking points/questions to ask

Does your store have a policy to sell only non-GM produce? Remember that organic produce is always non-GM.

• If they answer “yes,” great! Please provide us with the store details (name of retailer/ location/ contact person) so that CBAN can follow up.
• If they answer “no,” hand them the “Guide to a Non-GMO Produce Section,” and if you feel comfortable, write your contact information on it, and let them know you would like them to follow up once they have considered the information in the guide.

If they do not have a policy on non-GM produce, ask if their store sells genetically modified sweet corn.

• If they do, ask them to remove it from the produce section.
• If they don’t know, ask them to talk to their supplier to find out and ask them to follow up with you once they have an answer.
• If they are not able to get an answer from their supplier but they seem willing to keep investigating, CBAN can help. You can provide them with our contact info or send us the contact info of the staff person you have been corresponding with.

You can talk to the Managers about the health risks re: the consumption of fresh GM sweet corn, as an example for why they should not carry GM produce.

• Insect-resistant corn plants are genetically modified to express a toxin from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) which is known to harm the guts of specific insects. However, research indicates that Bt in GM crops is not equivalent to natural Bt, can harm non-target insects, is shown in animal feeding tests to harm mammals, and has allergenicity potential. See CBAN’s factsheet for more info.
• Exposure to the pesticides used in growing GM sweet corn is linked to human health risks. Research links the herbicide glyphosate to health problems including cancer, neurological diseases, endocrine disruption and birth defects. The International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC) of the World Health Organization classifies glyphosate as a “probable human carcinogen.” See CBAN’s factsheet for more info.

For more info on Retailer Transparency and GMOs, see our report here.

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