General Mills: Conceal or Reveal

Dear Mr. Powell, Chairman and CEO,

Your brand has been built on the reputation of trust. But while more than 90 percent of Americans want the right to choose whether their food contains genetically modified ingredients or GMOs, big food companies, like General Mills, spend millions of dollars on anti-labeling initiatives that keep their customers in the dark.

In fact, in the first half of this year alone, General Mills has spent over $1.1 million, some or all of which went to lobby Washington legislators to block state and federal agencies from requiring food companies to label products that contain GMO ingredients. This does not honor your commitments to the people who buy your products every day.

Recently polling found that 84 percent of consumers believe that General Mills should stop spending money on campaigns that deny consumers the right to know and nearly 70 percent of consumers are less likely to purchase General Mills products knowing that the company funds campaigns to deny consumers the right to know. More than 50 percent of General Mills consumers believe the company is being dishonest when labeling does not indicate if its products contain GMOs.

The organizations listed here support the growing number of Americans across the country who are advocating for mandatory FDA labeling and speaking up for their right to know what is in the food they eat and how it is grown. We know that voluntary labeling for the absence of GMOs does not do enough to ensure companies provide their consumers with the information they need and deserve.

As one of the nation’s foremost companies and head of more than 100 successful brands, we believe you can take the lead for the rights and well-being of all Americans. We strongly urge you to support mandatory FDA labeling of GMOs.