During a short time period in the late 1990s, some food products in the European Union were labeled as containing GM ingredients. According to Kalaitzandonakes and Bijman (2003) and Bernauer and Meins (2002), GM products then vanished in the EU. We found additional evidence in Japan, another country that has adopted mandatory labeling, where it is difficult (if not impossible) to find retail food products labeled as containing GM ingredients. Mandatory labeling also exists in Australia and New Zealand, where there is not much choice at the retail level.
Ironically, this fact has not been well publicized, and as a result many observers still question how anyone could be opposed to mandatory labeling if it provides information to consumers. Ignoring the current situation, some European newspapers have predicted that GM foods will “invade” the retail shelves with the new EU labeling regulations. This has not been the case so far with mandatory labeling.
Read the full, original article: Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods: Does it Really Provide Consumer Choice?
