protest the sale of the product
THE UK’S most popular weed killer has had its labels replaced with ones created by activists and is currently being sold in an Aberystwyth store.
Supermarkets, garden centres and DIY shops are currently selling Roundup, containing the chemical glyphosate, which the World Health Organisation in 2015 stated contains a ‘probable carcinogenic.’
In a bid to raise awareness of the issue, the activists, who are supporting the Global Justice Now campaign, have been protesting against the sale of Roundup, resulting in the group creating their own versions of the bottle’s label, which has been added to the stock in Aberystwyth’s Morrison’s.
The weed killer’s label has been edited to display in large lettering that the it has been classed as ‘probably causing cancer.’
The edited label, which has been designed to blend in with the corporate branding of Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer, also states that the product ‘degrades farmers’ power so corporations grow.’
Fake leaflets which have been supplied alongside the labels say: “When applied across the world, we guarantee that Monsanto will make farmers dependent on our costly products, gain more control over farming, expand the markets for our GM seeds and dominate more of the world’s food system.”
A local supporter of Global Justice Now, said: “We attached labels to bottles of Roundup in Morrison’s supermarket in Aberystwyth because gardeners have the right to know that the weed killer they are being sold poses a very serious potential threat to their health and well-being.
“It’s disgraceful that a product that has such big question marks over its safety is on our shelves in the first place.
“We need to ensure that UK politicians are looking out for the health and well-being of UK consumers and food producers rather than just pandering to the profit margins of big agribusiness companies like Monsanto, who make millions through the sales of their weed killer, Roundup.”
According to a poll which was conducted by YouGov, it was revealed that over two thirds of Europeans think that the EU should ban the use of glyphosate in products.
Currently, in France, over-the-counter sales of weed killers which contain the chemical are prohibited.
The EU was supposed to renew the licence for glyphosate but, following a public outcry and opposition to re-licensing from a number of MPs, the vote has been postponed until later in May.
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