GMO-Free Labelling Surges

GMO-free foods and products are being increasingly launched in the US, with the US accounting for 43 per cent of global launches using GMO-free claims.

Interest in the GMO free industry has increased over the past 12 months as clean labelling and greater transparency allows consumers to have greater choice over GMO products and foods.

According to Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights, “After rising levels of concern, the growing use of GMO-free labelling and the development of schemes such as Non-GMO Project Verification, some US states started to discuss introducing their own legislation and there is currently also a move for USDA to create its own voluntary non-GMO certification program.”

The dairy industry, in particular, has been of particular interest for non-GMO labelling as strong links between organic and GMO-free certifications use products to reposition themselves in the market.

Although compulsory regulations on genetically modified foods have existed since the 1990s, countries have increasingly placed pressure to simplify the process of verifying and identifying non-GMO options.

Traditionally natural imaging used by the dairy industry has now been significantly challenged by the renewed interest in the ongoing activity in organic and pasture milks, particularly in countries such as Austria where GMO-free positioning accounts for nearly 28 per cent of Austrian dairy introductions.