Greens to issue most comprehensive list yet of GE food brands in NZ supermarkets

On Monday, Green Party Health Spokesperson and safe food campaigner Sue Kedgley will issue New Zealand's most comprehensive list of companies which either cannot confirm their products are GE-free, or who openly admit their food contains GE.

The list has been obtained after a year of on-going correspondence between safe food campaigners and manufacturers, including an intense checking exercise in recent weeks.

"We need to let New Zealanders know which firms may still be using genetically engineered ingredients in their food because labelling is at least 18 months away and is very likely to be postponed even further," Ms Kedgley said today.

"We say this delay is ridiculous. Manufacturers have had two years already to prepare for labelling. As part of the new Labour-Alliance-Greens Government we will pressure the Australia New Zealand Food Authority to fast-track the process and introduce labelling within three to six months."

* Ms Kedgley will display some of the food from the GE brand list outside the New World supermarket on Cable Street in central Wellington (opposite Commonsense Organics) on Monday, November 22 at 10am. Green Party members will be handing out safe food and anti-GE pamphlets to passers-by and shoppers at the time.

Ms Kedgley is placed six on the Greens' party list and on current polling is likely to be an MP.