Return to Sender

What would you do if someone knocks at your door and tells you that the Nestle products in your house may be contaminated with GE (Genetically Engineered) ingredients? Would you believe them? The residents of Megh Building, Goregaon (East), Mumbai were in for a surprise when on an ordinary Tuesday evening of September 15, a chirpy bunch of youngsters knocked on their doors.


These young boys and girls were none other than volunteers of Greenpeace India who had come to their households to raise awareness about the issue of Genetically Modified food organisms. They interacted with every resident in the building, ranging from the elderly, couples, and the tiny-tots and even with the house-helps. "We are not asking you to blacklist Nestlé," said one of the volunteers to a resident, "we are here because Nestle has not been coming clean on its stand of using GE technology in their food products." Armed with reports straight from China, these volunteers explained the issue of GM food crops, how it has been a hazard to the environment and to human health.

The major cause of concern for the residents was the news that Nestle has been selling baby-food in China with GE ingredients in it. "Thank god my son has grown up for Cerelac," said one concerned mother on the condition of anonymity, "if it is present in China, can Nestle assure us that such thing will not be sold in India? I don't think so." Saying so, she willingly parted with her half used nestle coffee powder (Nescafe) and dumped in the bin held by the volunteers. Like her, other residents too followed suit and parted with their Nestle products right from Maggi (Yes MAGGI too) to Coffee powder, Kitkat, ketchup and milk Tetrapacks.

"What are you planning to do with the products which we are returning?" was the question asked by residents of the building. The volunteers replied that these products will be sent back to the Nestle office in Gurgaon.

"But why only Nestle?" The answer to this lies in the fact that every person is a Nestle customer, knowingly or otherwise (like Maggi). Nestle has built a trust in their consumers about the quality of their products. And now, they are playing with the very same trust by telling its customers that it doesn’t mind using GE technology if it increases the availability, sustainability and the nutritional Value (?) of their products. Greenpeace questioned the food brands available in India about their status or standing in GE technology in their products. Many companies said that they do not approve of such an unstable technology and will never use it in their products. Quite a few companies said that they don't mind using GE technology, and Nestle topped that list. The entire report is available at http://greenpeace.in/safefood/the-guide/

With plenty of Nestle products in a dustbin, the smiles of the residents and their good wishes, the young volunteers left the society to continue their journey against the issue of Genetically Modified food organisms.