PAN call for more supermarket testing of pesticides

The Fresh Produce Consortium has responded to PAN UK’s criticism of the information they currently provide on supermarkets' action in tackling pesticides in its latest press release. PAN’s criticism comes despite the Pesticide Residue Committee’s reassurance that the industry is consistently safe for customers to enjoy.

FPC have reassured that there are strict standards in place to ensure the British consumer that hey can enjoy healthy, good quality fresh produce. This includes rigorous testing and a regulatory process for the use of pesticides. The FPC insists that there is consumer confidence in the chemical safety of fresh goods.

In addition, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) states that 60% of respondents in a recent consumer survey feel confident about steps taken by both the FSA and FPC to protect the customer. The survey also indicated that the public is now said to be more concerned about price than safety.

PAN (Pesticide Action Network) includes 600 participating non-governmental organisations and is spread across ninety countries, working to replace pesticides with socially just and ecologically sound alternatives. Pressure is placed on supermarket chains by PAN’s scrutiny on issues such as how pesticides end up on plates; identifying chains’ criteria for selecting fresh produce, and analysis of corporate efforts to keep residue levels beneath legal and Government-imposed levels. The Government introduced a name and shame policy in 1999 for chains who weren’t toeing the line in keeping pesticide levels beneath legal limits.

Stephanie Williamson, who compiled PAN’s comparative report into supermarkets’ efforts to tackle the pesticide problem said that more work is needed. “There is currently an inconsistency in the market as to how retailers work on the issue and how much they reveal about it. Co-op, Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer release results from their residue testing and we’d like other chains to follow suit. A standardised report of residue test results across the board is necessary, and we want supermarkets to put their money where their mouth is with regard to dealing with pesticides”.

Concerning FPC’s Code of Practice for the Control of Pesticides, Stephanie commented: “It is a well written document, but there needs to be more than that. It does not address the need to phase out the use of some of the most harmful substances or sufficiently encourage retailers to publish results of residue testing”.

Co-op has made the most efforts in the past to address the pesticide problem with their Green and Pleasant Land report, with an extensive survey on customers’ attitudes to pesticides. They have placed thirty pesticides on a restricted list and was the first chain to release results of its own residue testing.