TOPS tests GE positive in Thailand

This morning a group of Thai activists returned a large amount of Chinese sausage to TOPS Supermarket in Bangkok, demanding a refund after tests revealed that 33 percent of the soya used in the supermarket's own-branded sausages was GE, even thought it claims to be GE-free.

Following the action TOPS gave our activists refunds to 152 packages of the Chinese sausage. It also issued a press satement saying it will withdraw the Chinese sausage off its shelves in 47 branches across Thailand.

Our Thai True Food Shopping Guide currently lists the TOPS own brand products in the grey list which means it is in the process of adopting a non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) policy. However TOPS insists is has established a non-GMO policy, assuring us that it does not use GMOs in its food products. Our recent tests, however, show otherwise, in response to this the supermarket chain has sent the sausage for independant testing and will issue the results on May 14.

"We see the intention of TOPS to eliminate GMO ingredients from its products without using the labelling regulation as an excuse like other big multinational companies. But TOPS must show sincerity to consumers, by implementing strict controls that eliminate GMOs," Varoonvarn Svangsopakul, our GE campaigner in Thailand.

Despite the massive percentage of GE soya used to make the TOPS sausage, it is not required to be labelled under the current Thai Labelling Regulation, which has failed to protect and inform Thai consumers about GMOs in their food.

The regulation took effect exactly a year ago and is one of weakest around the world. It requires labels on food products with GMO contamination of 5 percent or higher, but only the three main ingredients of the product are tested for GE contamination. It also has another major loophole: only GE soya and GE corn are covered by the legislation and therefore ignores all other GE food crops.

In the case of TOPS Sausage, as the GE soya ingredient does not fall among the top three ingredients it can be sold without any label. We have been calling on the Thai government to implement a stricter labelling regulation that requires food containing 1 percent GMO contamination or higher on all labelled. This way foodstuffs such as these sausages cannot be sold without customers knowing what they are buying.

In March this year we presented the Ministry of Public Health more than 10,000 signatures from consumers who agreed that the regulation needed to be tightened to 1 percent.

"It has been two months and we haven't heard anything from the Ministry. The government must not ignore people's voice and must enforce a better labelling regulation that protects consumers and give the Thai people the right to know and right to reject GMOs in their food,"added Varoonvarn Svangsopakul.

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