Whole Foods Market supported California’s Proposition 37 because we believe consumers have the fundamental right to know how their food is sourced, grown and produced. We are disappointed that the initiative did not pass. We do believe that awareness of this issue was significantly raised during the campaign, and we are encouraged by the labeling efforts now underway in many other states. We hope that ultimately these efforts will lead to a single federal labeling standard.
We learned during the campaign how important it is to keep our Team Members informed on these issues, and Whole Foods Market will continue to improve in this area. We are evaluating our overall participation in the campaign and how we might evolve our role in the support of future GMO labeling efforts.
Here are some of the ways that Whole Foods Market supported Prop 37 in all of our California stores and communities:
-
Info kiosks
-
Billboards and banners
-
Statewide radio advertising (more than 1,000 spots)
-
Daily social media campaigning
-
Educational videos and blog posts on our web site
-
A nationwide, three-day sale of products verified by the Non-GMO Project
-
Media interviews for news stories
Going forward, we will continue to offer more and more choices in our stores for those who want to avoid GMOs. We reaffirm the consumer’s right to know and our support for greater transparency in the food system.
UPDATED Here are a few of the radio ads that ran statewide: