South Africa: A case study for voluntary GM labelling

South Africa is the only country in Africa growing genetically modified (GM) crops, yet, consumer knowledge of biotechnology is limited and labelling regulations regarding consumer preference is lacking. In the absence of mandatory GM labelling, voluntary GM labelling is being used as a marketing strategy to attract discerning consumers. The aim was to detect and quantify the GM content in food products in South Africa, specifically labelled to indicate an absence of genetic modification. Of the products labelled ‘GMO-free’, ‘non-GM’ and ‘organic’, it was found that 31% had a GM content above 1.0% and 20% a GM content above 5.0%. Product batches differed by up to 40% in terms of GM content. In the absence of specific regulations, voluntary GM labelling is not providing discerning consumers with the choice intended. Thus, unregulated GM labelling is not a viable alternative to a regulated approach in terms of consumer protection.