GMW:_National_supermarket_blockade_over_GM_animal_feed

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GMW:_National_supermarket_blockade_over_GM_animal_feed

> " GM_WATCH " <info

> Fri, 2 Jul 2004 13:32:03 +0100

 

>

> GM WATCH daily

> http://www.gmwatch.org

> ------

> 1.Sainsburys blockaded nationally!

> 2.Local reports

> 3.WHAT YOU CAN DO

>

 

http://www.geneticsaction.org.uk/resources/alliancesainsburys.pdf

> ------

> 1.Sainsburys blockaded nationally!

> http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/07/294251.html

>

> Sainsburys chilled food distribution centres are

> blockaded across the country in protest against GM

> feed being fed to dairy cows.

>

> SAINSBURY'S DEPOTS BLOCKADED: NO GM IN OUR MILK!

>

> Sainsbury's five biggest UK distribution centres

> have been shut down tonight. Environmentalists and

> consumers are simultaneously blockading the

> supermarket chain's chilled-goods depots in London,

> Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol and Sheffield. They

> are chained together through steel tubes, and

> setting up 'tripods' blocking the depot gates.

>

> This co-ordinated action is intended to halt

> distribution of Sainsbury's dairy products that come

> from cows fed GM animal feed. The protest follows

> Sainsbury's failure to provide non-GM fed milk as

> standard, despite rivals like Marks and Spencer and

> the Co-op doing so. The action is taken in

> solidarity with farmers, demanding they get a fair

> deal of 2p on the pound for non-GM milk. Removing GM

> animal feed is the last step necessary to make

> Britain entirely GM-free

>

> A protester explained:

> " Neither farmers or consumers want GM in our food

> chain. Sainsbury's must keep their promise to phase

> out its use, and pay farmers properly so

> they can do so. "

>

> A farmer added:

> " We are paid less for our milk than it costs to

> produce. GM is only adding to the crisis in our

> industry. We want an end to the exploitation of

> foreign farmers through GM, and an end to the

> exploitation of us by the supermarkets. "

>

> The protesters intend to stay until GM fed products

> are taken off Sainsbury's shelves. The police have

> been called but any arrests are likely to be

> seriously delayed by the demonstrator's chains and

> equipment. Following the sacking of chairman Sir

> Peter Davis, Sainsbury now has to face questions

> about justice - not only profits.

>

> NOTES TO EDITORS

>

> 1.GM fed milk is currently unlabelled. The effects

> of GM on both cattle, and the people who then eat

> products from them, have never been tested by

> independent scientists.

>

> 2.Prof. Bob Orskov OBE, director of the

> International Feed Resource Unit in Aberdeen has

> said, " As a scientist, I wouldn't drink milk from

> cows fed GM with the current state of knowledge " .

>

> 3.In the face of public concern Sainsbury's pledged

> to phase out the use of GM in animal feed three

> years ago, but are now claiming they cannot for

> economic reasons.

>

> 4.The blockade is supported by a coalition of

> environmental and farmers groups for more

> information see

>

http://www.geneticsaction.org.uk/resources/alliancesainsburys.pdf

>

> 5.The 5 depots blockaded cover around 70% of

> Sainsbury's fresh food distribution network in the

> UK.

> -----

> 2. Local reports

>

> Liverpool blockade ended 03:30 - no arrests

>

> 02.07.2004 03:45

>

> The blockade in Liverpool ended at about 3:30 in the

> morning after closing Sainsbury's Haydock

> distribution depot for four hours.

>

> There were no arrests, and the blockade ended

> according to plan.

> ------

> London Blockade Ended at 0300hrs . 8 arrested

>

> 02.07.2004 05:20

>

> The London depot was successfully closed for over 3

> hours and ended with 8 arrests.

> ------

> South Yorkshire blockade ended 4:57 am

>

> 02.07.2004 05:59

>

> no arrests, equipment saved, three oranges down.

> -------

> Bristol Blockade ended at 5:30 am

>

> 02.07.2004 07:24

>

> No arrests and equipment saved. Sucessfully

> blockaded for 6.5 hours.

> -------

> Nice action............

>

> 02.07.2004 11:29

>

> Well done to all those involved!

>

> East midlands Sainsbury's looking low on milk @ 11am

> on a friday.

>

> leaflets distributed in the emptying shelves, more

> to be dropped off later ;-)

> --------

> 3.WHAT YOU CAN DO

>

http://www.geneticsaction.org.uk/resources/alliancesainsburys.pdf

>

> *Boycott Sainsbury's Own Brand Milk,Cheese,

> Yoghurt,Cream and Ice Cream.

>

> *Complain to the Manager or at the Customer

> Services Desk.

>

> *Or ring the 'customer care line' on 0800 63 62 62.

>

> *Tell Sainsbury's National Director to pay

> farmers a fair price for their milk.

>

> *Demand that they give a final phase-out date for

> all GM feed.

>

> Write to:

> Justin King,

> Group Chief Executive,

> J Sainsbury plc,

> 33 Holborn,

> London.

> EC1N 2HT

>

> Don't take no for an answer. Five years ago

> Sainsbury's tried to sell GM food, but when their

> customers complained, they eventually removed the GM

> ingredients from their shelves. Public opinion has

> also recently stopped the commercial growing of GM

> crops in the UK. We can stop the threat of GM here

> and elsewhere in the world if we all speak out.

>

>