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Release date 05/02/2013
LOS ANGELES, CA — In a full page ad in the Los Angeles Times, Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, called on Trader Joe’s today to stop selling meat and poultry from animals raised on antibiotics. The ad highlights how the overuse of antibiotics by the meat and poultry industries on healthy livestock is promoting the spread of drug resistant superbugs that threaten public health.
At the same time, Consumers Union is spreading the word through social media promotions and outreach efforts to customers at Trader Joe’s stores in the Los Angeles area, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon. The outreach efforts will expand to Trader Joe’s stores in other cities in the coming weeks.
“It’s critical that we do everything possible to curb the growing public health crisis of antibiotic resistance,” said Jean Halloran, Director of Food Policy Initiatives for Consumers Union. “Virtually every respected medical and public health organization agrees that we must reduce the use of antibiotics in healthy livestock in order to preserve the effectiveness of these drugs to treat disease.”
Consumers Union has pushed Congress and the FDA to take action to curtail antibiotic use in meat production, but these efforts have been blocked by politically powerful pharmaceutical and livestock industry interests for decades. Last year, Consumers Union launched its Meat Without Drugs campaign to convince grocery stores – starting with Trader Joe’s – to sell only meat raised without antibiotics.
Overuse of Antibiotics In Livestock Poses Public Health Risk
Some 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used not on humans but on livestock. These antibiotics are fed to healthy animals like cows, pigs, and chickens to make them grow faster and to prevent disease in often crowded and unsanitary conditions on today’s factory farms. While public health campaigns are helping to curb the use of antibiotics in humans, the livestock industry has steadily increased its use of antibiotics over the past decade.
When antibiotics are used on the farm, the bugs that are vulnerable to them tend to be killed off, leaving behind bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistant bacteria can spread to the farm to our communities via meat and poultry, farmworkers, and through the air, soil, and water. As antibiotic resistance increases, the medications we all depend on become less effective.
Trader Joe’s Should Be A Leader
Over 500,000 consumers have signed petitions, postcards, and flyers in support of Consumers Union’s campaign. However, Trader Joe’s has refused to change their practices or even meet with Consumers Union to discuss the issue. Trader Joe’s offers some chicken, turkey, and beef raised without antibiotics, but no pork. While this is a step in the right direction, it doesn’t go far enough, according to Consumers Union.
“Continuing to sell meat from animals that are routinely fed antibiotics contributes to the development and spread of antibiotic resistance,” said Halloran. “Trader Joe’s has demonstrated its commitment to its customers’ health by saying no to GMOs, artificial colors, and trans fats. It should take the obvious next step and help move the livestock industry in the right direction towards healthy animals raised without drugs.”
Consumer Reports Tests
Earlier this week, Consumer Reports issued the results of its tests of 257 samples of ground turkey, including 27 different brands purchased at a variety of retail stores across the nation. Consumer Reports found that while bacteria were widespread, bacteria from products labeled as “raised without antibiotics” or carrying a similar label were resistant to fewer antibiotics overall than bacteria found on conventional products. Consumer Reports recommends that consumers buy ground turkey raised without antibiotics.
“As a company that has taken socially responsible stands on other issues, Trader Joe’s could make an important contribution to improving public health by carrying only meat and poultry raised without antibiotics,” said Halloran.
Contact:
Michael McCauley, Consumers Union, 415.431.6747 ext 126/415.9029537 (cell) or mmccauley@consumer.org
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
© 2013 Consumer Reports. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports® magazine, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees, and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without our prior written permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open to it to prevent unauthorized commercial use of its content and trademarks.
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
© 2013 Consumer Reports. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports® magazine, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees, and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without our prior written permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open to it to prevent unauthorized commercial use of its content and trademarks.