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The Official Whole Foods Market® Blog
Weekend Sale: Non-GMO Project Verified Products
| Meet the Blogger | More Posts by Paige Brady
As American consumers, we have a right to know what we are eating. One of the important choices anyone can make is whether or not to eat foods containing GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms, also called genetically engineered ingredients). Because GMOs are pervasive in our food supply, many familiar foods we sell may contain them. And because food manufacturers are not required to label them, many Americans are not even aware that GMOs are in many of their favorite foods.
As America’s leading retailer of natural and organic foods, Whole Foods Market® is proud to support GMO choice and transparency, such as supporting labeling efforts like Proposition 37 in California and also by providing our customers with the most Non-GMO and organic products available anywhere. And we are really excited to announce that all Whole Foods Market® stores in the US and Canada will have hundreds of Non-GMO Project Verified products on sale this weekend, from Friday, October 19 through Sunday, October 21.
We’ve supported mandatory product labeling measures over the years, most recently California’s Proposition 37 and Washington State’s Initiative Measure 522, with the hope that these state efforts will lead to one federal standard. We also work one-on-one with hundreds of our supplier partners to encourage them to get their ingredients from Non-GMO sources.
Here are some ways you can avoid GMOs while supporting ingredient choice and transparency:
- Go organic! The USDA National Organic Standards do not allow genetically engineered seed and ingredients in the growth and production of organic foods.
- Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified seal, which indicates the product has passed a third-party verification program indicating that a product has been produced according to best practices and procedures to avoid the intentional use of GMO ingredients.
- Buy 365 Everyday Value® organic food products and plant-based non-organic 365 Everyday Value® food products -- both sourced to avoid genetically engineered ingredients.
- Shop our Non-GMO Project Verified sale this weekend!
Please celebrate Non-GMO month with us by taking advantage of our sale this weekend. Beyond this weekend and this month, if having non-GMO options are important to you, purchase from companies whose products are non-GMO verified and show your support for organics.
146 Comments
Comments
I understand that Whole foods has not sent any financail support or have petitions in your stores to help prop 37. This is why most people shop at Whole foods.We do NOT want GMO food. GMO is NOT a natural food & has no place in our bodies. GMO is now found to cause cancer & tumers in Mice. Whole foods has helped alot of causes this one should be at the top of your list. You will help people all over the world but yet serve foods that cause cancer to your customers? A store that is suppose to be natural & organic? Did Monsanto pay you off too?
10/17/2012 10:35:21 AM CDT
I love Wholefoods, my favorite supermarket. I was so excited when WF was built in my community on W. 97th Street, NYC, prior I would travel to 59th Columbus Circle. I am unemployed and it does not matter how much money I have in my pockets, I shop for great quality foods at WF. I love the awareness and education that WF strive to put into the community. I started a blog a couple of months ago about Non-GMO products and the importance to be aware of what people put in their body, especially our children. I have a daughter and I want her to know that knowing what we eat is important. So thank you for this weekend, I will be there. I would love to work with WF to put out the awareness of healthy and conscious eating in Urban neighborhoods, where education about great nutrition is needed. Thank You.
10/17/2012 11:39:54 AM CDT
Does your all natural pita bread contain gmo's?
10/17/2012 1:17:27 PM CDT
Congratulations on supporting GMO choice and transparency. It keeps me committed to being a loyal and happy Whole Foods customer.
10/17/2012 2:43:15 PM CDT
WF could change everything by putting a simple "GMO" label on each shelf tag. Stop passing the buck when the public health is concerned. Your company will be forever remembered for making these decisions. You are only beginning to see the fallout from this...
10/17/2012 3:09:25 PM CDT
[OFF TOPIC - NN] Love Whole Foods, but I am surprised that this Friday's deal is Shrimp from Thailand. Yuck. We have Gulf Shrimp in this country why eat something that was shipped from Asia & who knows what was in the water or how it was treated after being caught & then cooked by whom know who. Not for me. If I can't get gulf shrimp I don't buy it.
10/17/2012 3:39:00 PM CDT
THANK YOU " WHOLE FOOD " FOR CARING THE VERY BEST OF FOOD !
10/17/2012 3:40:11 PM CDT
@SUE - Thanks for your question. I will be happy to look in to this for you but I will need to know which brand of pita bread you are referring to? Thanks!
10/17/2012 4:24:14 PM CDT
Great idea!!! Can you let me know which products you sell that do use GMO seed? I read that Kashi does. I avoid GMO by purchasing organic and 365 brands and the few that label they're non-GMO!
Thanks! Terry
10/17/2012 4:41:11 PM CDT
Thabk you for supporting Prop 37 and for the sale! As a huge WF fan and loyal customer, I ask you to also put your money where your mouth is. Donate money to the cause, use your paid commercial slots for not just advertising WF, but for raising awareness. Were all glad you joined the party. Better late than never. Our challenge to you is to step it up in these last few weeks before election.
10/17/2012 4:42:59 PM CDT
Thanks for caring for the community and being able to provide us with higher quality foods that can help prevent many diseases.
10/17/2012 5:28:37 PM CDT
How much money was donated to Prop 37? Also, there was a video showing the deception at Whole Foods concerning GMO's. Why do some of the Whole Foods brand products, like the Ascorbic Acid Vit C in Whole body made from GMO corn?
10/17/2012 5:31:19 PM CDT
They should have a non-gmo section of the store.
10/17/2012 5:41:50 PM CDT
I desperately try to buy ONLY NON-GMO food. Of late, I have found out that Whole Foods has NOT been totally forthcoming with what it lets into it's store as "healthy". Thankfully, I have a local store store that also carries NON-GMO items that competes with Whole Foods and where I can get a better price.
I enjoy shopping Whole Foods--especially your grass fed beef--& other NON-GMO feed animals. I even personally know one of the places where the beef comes from. I only pray that things stay the same for the high standard of how their beef is grown.
Hopefully, Whole Foods will begin to take a MUCH stronger stand for NON-GMO foods within the nation. This company is maintained by people like myself--who WILL SHOP ELSEWHERE--IF you continue to NOT speak out in such matters. I am well aware of what our government is trying to cram, literally, down our throats. I do hope that Whole Foods will stand up stronger and higher...before it's too late...and we have no more choice, and foods will no longer carry the NON-GMO label.
10/17/2012 5:51:43 PM CDT
It's not realistic for Whole Foods to label everything that contains GMOs, since it's not currently required for companies to disclose and label whether they use GMOs or not..
But what they CAN do is feature what products do NOT contain them, as well as source their own 365 brand products to avoid GMO ingredients, which is exactly what they're doing.. and that is how you can shop to avoid them, look for those products and avoid anything that may be unclear..
Hopefully Prop 37 passes and we will start seeing GMO-containing products labeled as such, but until then, I'd say Whole Foods is doing the best they can.. I applaud them for it
10/17/2012 6:02:05 PM CDT
Proper labeling is imperative. We don't know the effects and/or mutations that might be involved! If it's supposed to be good for us, what is it they want to hide???
10/17/2012 6:11:51 PM CDT
Thank you for supporting Non-GMO foods and selling them. These products are important to my health and chronic illness
10/17/2012 6:15:53 PM CDT
Thank you!!!!!
10/17/2012 6:22:04 PM CDT
I love shopping at whole foods. Thanks for no GMO products in your 365 brand food. I will continue to shop from your stores as i have in the past. Please continue to fight for america's health by supporting GMO transparency. Thank you whole foods!!!
10/17/2012 6:22:34 PM CDT
Whole Foods, step up to the plate and donate a large sum of money to Prop 37. You will be remembered by your deeds. ;)
10/17/2012 6:25:29 PM CDT
Thank you Whole Foods for labeling your products as non-GMO. No other store does. I always make sure that our family gets as much as possible of these products.
10/17/2012 6:30:00 PM CDT
I am very glad you decided to get more on board. It is horrible that our food is allowed to be altered and most people are unaware. I don't want my 1 year old son exposed to these products containing GMO's. I was reading about how many products you carry containing them and was going to make the choice to stop shopping there until more consciousness was brought forth. So congrats on taking at least the first steps in the right direction. Make your corporation stand out above the others with integrity to the people that keep its heart beating.
10/17/2012 6:30:17 PM CDT
I am adamantly opposed to Ge or GMO products. The only way to be certain they are GMO-free is to buy organic and I make every effort to do this.
10/17/2012 6:32:11 PM CDT
I am adamantly opposed to Ge or GMO products. The only way to be certain they are GMO-free is to buy organic and I make every effort to do this.
10/17/2012 6:32:13 PM CDT
I am still new at all this and started shopping at Whole Foods not too long ago. I was under the impression that all the foods and products at their stores were either non GMO or organic. Am I wrong?
10/17/2012 6:52:35 PM CDT