Media Advisory

8/15/01
For Immediate Release
Contact: Christie Philips 773-258-0575 (vm)
Brett Doran 310-403-3214 (cell)

GeneWise Activists Demand Trader Joe’s Market
Stop Selling Genetically Engineered Food


What: Spirited demonstration at Trader Joe’s to demand an end to the use of genetically engineered food in its stores.

Who: Concerned Chicago area consumers and activists from Genewise, Northwest RAGE, GE Free LA & Greenpeace

Where: Trader Joe’s Glenview, 1407 Waukegan Road

When: Thursday, August 16th 6:30 PM

Why: Since February 2000, consumers have been demanding that Trader Joe’s stop using genetically engineered food in its store brand products and to eliminate GE food from its shelves altogether, expressing their concern with food dumps, voluntary GE labeling brigades, press conferences, and public marches. Since then, Trader Joe’s has taken only minor steps to address the public’s concerns and has refused to discuss the issue directly with advocacy groups in the United States. In Europe most grocery stores have phased out GE foods in response to customer demand, including ALDI, which is owned by the German based Albrecht family, the same owners as Trader Joe’s. US activists are asking Trader Joe’s to end the double standard. Christie Phillips of GeneWise stated “If Aldi can phase out GE food in Europe, we know that Trader Joe’s can phase it out in the US.” This week, consumers across the nation are demonstrating at Trader Joe’s locations reiterating the demand that the specialty store go GE free and raise their product to the level of their image.

Consumers have repeatedly expressed concerns about the potential negative effects of genetically engineered food on the environment, human health, and organic farmers, claiming that genetic engineering is a dangerous experiment with the food system.

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