NOVARTIS BOWS TO CONSUMER PRESSURE AND STOPS PRODUCING GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD

3 August 2000

AMSTERDAM -- Novartis, one of the world’s leading producers of genetically engineered seeds has informed Greenpeace that it will no longer use genetically engineered ingredients (GE) in its food products worldwide. Novartis is the first multinational company to commit to non-GE standard in food globally.

The letter to Greenpeace from Novartis Consumer Health department in Belgium confirmed that on 30th June, 2000, the company stopped producing food containing GE-ingredients in its own brands. The production of a candy bar 'Cereal Chocosoja' has been stopped as no guarantee of its non-GMO quality could be given.

Greenpeace applauds Novartis’ decision to give equal rights to all consumers worldwide to have access to GE free food.

"Novartis has taken the lead to abolish the common practice of double standards, when high quality GE-free food is sold to the consumers in Europe and unlabelled genetically engineered food is sold to consumers elsewhere such as in the Americas and Asia. Greenpeace demands other food producers to follow this example," said Isabelle Meister, Greenpeace International Genetic Engineering Campaigner.

Although Novartis has committed to use non-GE ingredients in its own food brands, the same company is still producing and selling genetically modified Bt maize to the farmers and is still, therefore, contaminating the food chain and the environment. One of the Novartis Bt maize crops has been banned in several European countries because of environmental and health concerns but the company has so far refused to withdraw it from the market.

"Novartis should also recognise the environmental risks its GE- agricultural products carry and become consistent in its policy by stopping the production and sale of GE-seeds," Meister added.

Greenpeace calls on all global food producers to demolish their double standards on selling GE-food, especially companies such as the cereal producer Kellogg’s that continue to ignore consumer demand for GE-free food in North America while guaranteeing GE-free food in Europe.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Isabelle Meister, Greenpeace International Genetic Engineering Campaigner, Tel (mobile): +41 794184455 or +31 20 5249516;
- Teresa Merilainen, Greenpeace International, Media Officer, Tel: +31 20 523 6637 or +31 625 031001.

Visit Greenpeace's GE campaign website for more information including Novartis's letter to Greenpeace:
www.greenpeace.org/~geneng/gehome.htm