May 29--Under pressure from consumers and activist groups, Abbott Laboratories says it has begun selling a version of its popular baby formula that does not contain genetically modified ingredients.
Similac Advance made without genetically modified organisms (GMOs) started appearing on Target shelves this week and will have broader distribution later this summer, said company spokeswoman Lindsy Delco. The front of the label is marked with "non-GMO" in all capital letters.
"We've had a lot of parents ask us to make a non-GMO version of Similac," Delco said.
Abbott has no plans to entirely phase out genetically altered ingredients from its infant formulas. Similac contains ingredients derived from corn and soy. Most of the country's corn and soybean crops are genetically engineered to withstand weed killers and plant diseases.
"We believe genetically modified ingredients are safe," Delco said. "We think the science is clear.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also says GMOs are safe, but activists say there is a lack of consensus about their effects and have been calling for regulations that require labeling of foods with genetically engineered ingredients.
Many companies have responded to health and environmental concerns over the use of GMOs. General Mills last year stopped using GMOs in its original Cheerios cereal. Whole Foods has said that all foods with GMOs will be labeled as such by 2018.
"Here in the U.S., consumers are increasingly concerned with GMOs and want those products labeled," said Todd Larsen, executive co-director of Green America, a nonprofit that advocates for a green economy. "Clearly Abbott and other food providers are seeing general consumer trends."
Consumer interest in non-GMO foods outweighs interest in foods free of soy, nuts and eggs, according to market research firm Mintel. In particular, Mintel found millennials and Generation X shoppers worry more about potentially harmful ingredients in food than older consumers.
Green America has a campaign called GMO Inside that has been lobbying food companies to move away from genetically engineered ingredients. Its targets include the three largest manufacturers of baby formula: Abbott; Glenview-based Mead Johnson Nutrition, which makes Enfamil; and Nestle, makers of Gerber Good Start.
Larsen said that through the GMO Inside campaign, Abbott received 23,000 emails from consumers. He applauded the company for becoming the first of the three baby formula manufacturers to offer a non-GMO version.
Delco said the petitions generated from advocacy groups did not influence the company, but rather it was responding to consumer preference.
"We see a consumer demand," she said. "A third of consumers said they would be interested in a product like this."
Abbott has some experience in sourcing non-GMO ingredients for baby formula. The company sells GMO-free formula outside the U.S. It also introduced an organic version of Similac in the U.S. in 2006. Genetically engineered ingredients are prohibited in organic products.
But the original Similac Advance is formulated to be more similar to breast milk than Similac Organic, and parents wanted a non-GMO option, Delco said.
Abbott's move could nudge competitors to follow because it is a market leader in infant formula, which has U.S. sales of about $4 billion. Powdered formulas account for more than 90 percent of the market.
In the 52 weeks that ended April 19, Abbott's powdered formulas accounted for 36.9 percent of total powdered sales, according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm. Mead Johnson was No. 1 in powdered sales with 39.6 percent of the market.
The non-GMO Similac, in powder and liquid, will be more expensive than the original formulation because it costs more to produce, Delco said. For example, a 1.45-pound tub of the GMO-free powder will cost about $2 more than the suggested retail price of the original version, which ranges from $23 to $26.
asachdev@tribpub.com
