Most supermarkets now have their own store brand products, but unlike the old days, they don’t simply have the name of the Supermarket or “Generic” on them, and it can be difficult to discern what brands are a supermarket’s private label brands, much less which ones may use GMOs or not. Additionally, many supermarkets now have private label organic brands to choose from, and a few notable chains have removed GMO ingredients from some or all of their non-organic private label products: Whole Foods Market and 365 brands are non-GMO and all of Trader Joe’s store brand products are Non-GMO! Below is a list of some of the largest supermarkets in the U.S., their store brand products, and company statements on rBGH and GM ingredients. Store-brand products are often a great way to purchase non-GMO and USDA Certified Organic products in the supermarket as they are often much less expensive than the national brands. Dairy is often sourced regionally for supermarket chains, so not all brands listed as rBGH-free may have rBGH-free milk and dairy in all locations–be sure to check the labels!
Key: Companies that have only organic or non-GMO store brand products are listed in green, those with some organic and non-GMO options are listed in orange (with the organic and non-gmo brands listed in green ), and those with no known organic or non-GMO store brands are listed in red. Contact these companies and ask them about their use of rBGH / rBST and GM ingredients in their store brands and let us know what you find out! Email us at office@centerforfoodsafety.org
Non-GMO and RBGH-Free Store Brands
Trader Joe’s
Store brands include Trader Joe’s, Trader Jose’s, and Trader Giotto’s. All Trader Joe’s store brands are non-GMO and their milks, butter, ice cream and most cheeses are rBGH-free. Trader Joe’s has a statement on GM ingredients on its website: http://www.traderjoes.com/about/customer-updates.asp#4
Whole Foods Market
Store brands include Whole Foods Market and 365 Brand. Both brands are non-GMO. Most, but not all, dairy products are rBGH-free and there are many organic options. Whole foods has a statement on GM ingredients on its website: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/genetically-engineered.php
Some rBGH-Free and Non-GMO Store Brands Available
A&P
Supermarkets include A&P supermarkets, Waldbaums, Super Fresh, The Food Emporium, Food Basics, and Pathmark. Store brands include: America’s Choice, America’s Choice Healthy Kids, AC Gold, Via Roma, Hartford Reserve, Green Way organics, Green Way (“natural”), Smart Price, Via Roma and Live Better Wellness. A&P has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email: apcustomerrel@aptea.com
Call 1-866-443-7374
AholdUSA
Ahold supermarkets include Stop & Shop, Giant, Martin’s and Peapod. Store brands include Simply Enjoy, Guaranteed Value, Nature’s Promise Organic and Nature’s Promise Natural brands. Ahold has a short statement on GM ingredients on its website and no policy listed for use of rBGH or GM ingredients in its store brands.
Email corporate.responsibility@ahold.com
Call 1- 781-380-8000
Bashas’
Supermarkets include Bashas’, AJ’s Fine Foods, and Food City. Store brands include Bashas’, Food Club, Value Time and Full Circle Organic (Organic only) and Natural brands. Bashas’ has no statement on use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email bashascustomerservice@bashas.com
Call 1-800-755-7292
Bi-Lo
Supermarkets include Bi-Lo and Super Bi-Lo. Store brand include Southern Home, Clear Value, and Full Circle Organic (organic only) and Natural brands. Bi-Lo has no statement on use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website
Email https://www.servicecheck.net/forms/irpt_welcome1.asp?brandid=161&clientid=2156
Call 1-800-862-9293
Costco Wholesale Corp.
Kirkland Signature brand, Kirkland Signature Organics. Kirkland milk is rBGH-free. Costco has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email https://costco.egain.net/system/selfservice.controller?CONFIGURATION=1001&PARTITION_ID=1&CMD=STARTPAGE&USERTYPE=1&LANGUAGE=en&COUNTRY=us
Call 1-425-313-8100
Delhaize America
Supermarkets include Food Lion, Bloom, Bottom Dollar, Harveys, Hannaford Bros., Kash n’ Karry, and Sweetbay. Store brands include Hannaford brand, Harvey’s brand, Food Lion brand, Sweetbay brand, On the Go Bistro, Nature’s Place Organics, Nature’s Place Naturals, Smart Option, and Taste of Inspirations. Delhaize states on its website that in response to customer’s desires, “Delhaize is developing a non-GM supply network for its private label products.” It remains unclear if this policy is true in its US stores.
Email Food Lion http://apps.foodlion.com/CustomerRelations/default.aspx
Call Food Lion 1-800-210-9569
Email Hannaford https://cornucopia1.hannaford.com/webapp/ContactUsMF/feedback/dispStoreDetails.do?feedbackForm=hbcproductfeedback
Call Hannaford 1-800-213-9040
Giant Eagle
Supermarkets include Giant Eagle, GetGo, Giant Eagle Express, and Market District. Store brands include Giant Eagle (including some Giant Eagle Organics) and Market District. Giant Eagle has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email http://www.gianteagle.com/Article.aspx?cntid=208014
Call 1-800-553-2324
Harris Teeter
Store brands include: Hunter Farms (dairy, all rBGH-free), Harris Teeter, HT Traders, Harris Teeter Naturals, Harris Teeter Naturals Organic (Organic only), Harris Teeter Your Tot, and Harris Teeter Your Baby. Harris Teeter has no statement on its use of GM ingredients on its website.
Email https://www.harristeeter.com/other/contact_us/contact_us.aspx
Call 1-800-432-6111
H-E-B (H.E. Butt Grocery Co.)
Supermarkets and brands include H-E-B, Central Market, and Central Market Organics. H-E-B has no statement on GM ingredients on its websites, but all Central Market Organics brands and many Central Market brands are non-GMO; milk is rBGH-free.
Email http://www.heb.com/welcome/contactUs.jsp
Call 1-800-432-3113
Hy-Vee Food Stores
Store brands include Di Lusso deli brands, World Classics Trading Company, Hy-Vee, Hy-Vee Mother’s Choice, Midwest Country Fare, Full Circle Organics (organic only) and Naturals, O Organics brand, and Eating Right. Hy-Vee has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredient use on its website.
Email http://www.hy-vee.com/company/contact/default.aspx
Call 1-800-289-8343
Kroger Co.
Kroger-owner supermarkets include Fred Meyer, Kroger, Ralph’s, King Sooper’s, Dillon’s, Smith’s, QFC, Baker’s, Ownes, JayC, Hilander, Gerbes, Pay Less Supermarkets, Scott’s Food and Pharmacy, Kroger Fresh Fare, Food 4 Less, and Foods Co. Store brands include Private Selection, Private Selection Organics, banner brands (such as Kroger’s, Ralph’s King Sooper’s, etc) Naturally Preferred, and Value. Fred Meyer and Mountain Dairy milks are rBGH-free. Kroger has no statement on GMO ingredients or rBGH on its website.
Email https://customer.kroger.com/comments/comments.aspx
Call 1-866-221-4141
Meijer
Store brands include: Meijer, Meijer Gold, Maijer Naturals and Meijer Organics. Meijer has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email http://www.meijer.com/custserv/contactus.jsp
Call 1-877-363-4537
Nash Finch Co.
While Nash Finch is primarily a distributor, they also operate supermarkets including Avanza Supermarkets, Econofoods, Family Fresh Market, Family Thrift Centers, Pick n’ Save, Prarie Market and Sun Mart Food Stores. Store brands include Nash Brothers Trading Company organic brand, Nash Brothers Trading Company “natural” brand, Our Family (including some Organics) and Value Choice. Nash Finch has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredient use on its website.
Email http://www.nashfinch.com/contact.cfm
Call 1-952-832-0534
Price Chopper Supermarkets
Store brands include Price Chopper, Price Chopper Naturals, Price Chopper Organics, and Central Market Classics. All Price Chopper milk is rBGH-free. Price Chopper has no statement on its use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email https://www2.pricechopper.com/service/bbb.shtml
Call 1-800-666-7667
Publix Super Markets
Publix store brands include Publix brand, Greenwise Market Organics and Greenwise Market Natural. All Publix milk is rBGH-free. Publix has statements on both rBGH and GM ingredients on its website. http://www.publix.com/about/qa/QAProducts.do#Q2 .
Email http://www.publix.com/contact/SendUsAMessage.do
Call 1-863-688-1188
Raley’s Supermarkets
Supermarkets include Raley’s, Nob Hill, Bel Air, and Food Source. Store brands include Raley’s, Raley’s Organic, Nob Hill, and Nob Hill Organic. Raley’s has no statement on its use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email feedback@raleys.com
Call 1-800-925-9989
Safeway
Mom to Mom, Safeway brand, Safeway SELECT, O Organics brand, Eating Right, Lucerne, Rancher’s Reserve, Primo Taglio, Basic Red, Signature Café, Waterfront Bistro. Safeway’s Dairy Glen and Lucerne milks are rBGH-Free (may not be rBGH-free in all locations, check the labels). Safeway has information about GM foods on its website, but no company statement on Safeway’s use of rBGH or GM ingredients.
Email http://www.safeway.com/IFL/Grocery/Product-Suggestions#iframetop
Call 1-877-723-3929
Schnuck Markets
Store brands include Full Circle Organic (Organic only) and Natural brands. Schnuck has no statement on use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email http://www.schnucks.com/consumersline.asp
Call 1-800-264-4400
Spartan Stores
Supermarkets include D&W Fresh Markets, Family Fare Supermarkets, Felpausch Food Centers , Glen’s Markets, and VG’s Food and Pharmacy. Store brands include Spartan, Aroma Street, Value Time, and Full Circle Organic (organic only) and Natural brands. Spartan has no statement on use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email communications@spartanstores.com
Call 1-800-451-8500
Supervalu
Supervalu stores include ACME, Albertsons, Biggs, Bristol Farms, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher’s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Save-A-Lot, Shaw’s, Shop ‘n Save, and Shoppers. Store brands include: Arctic Shores, Carlita, Culinary Circle, Farm Fresh, Farm Stand, Flavorite, Java Delight, Max Velocity, Richfood, Shoppers Value, Stockman & Dakota, Stone Ridge Creamery, SuperChill, SuperCrunch, Wild Harvest Natural and Organic – Organic only). Supervalu has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on is website.
Email http://www.supervalu-storebrands.com/contactus.asp
Call 1-877-932-7948
Target, Super Target
Target store brands include Archer Farms, Archer Farms organic, Archer Farms Simply Balanced, and Market Pantry. Market Pantry milks are rBGH-free (may not be rBGH-free in all locations, check the labels). Target has no statement on GMO ingredients on its website.
Email http://www.target.com/gp/help/display-contact-us-form.html?displayLink=gro
Call 1.800.440.0680
Wal-Mart Stores
Wal-Mart’s (Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Supercenters, Neighborhood Market) Store brands include Great Value and Marketside. Great Value store brand milk is rBGH-free and Wal-Mart continues to expand its organic offerings as well. Wal-Mart has no company statement on GM ingredients on its website
Email http://walmartstores.com/contactus/feedback.aspx
Call 1-800-925-6278
Wegmans Food Markets
Store brands include Wegman’s, Wegman’s Food You Feel Good About, and Wegman’s Organics. Wegman’s has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email https://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContactUsView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&langId=-1
Call 1-800-WEGMANS x4760
Weis Markets
Store brands include Weis, Value Time, and Full Circle Organic (Organic only) and Natural brands. Weis has no statement on use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email http://www.weismarkets.com/about-weis/contact-us/
Call 1-866-999-9347
Winn-Dixie Stores
Supermarkets include Winn-Dixie, Winn-Dixie Marketplace and SaveRite. Store brands include Winn-Dixie, Winn-Dixie Organics & Naturals (organic only), Thrifty Maid, and Winn & Lovett. Winn-Dixie has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email http://winn-dixie.com/Contact_Us/
Call 1-866-946-6349
No Known rBGH-Free or Non-GMO Store Brands
Aldi
Store brands include Aldi, Fit & Active, L’Oven Fresh, Grandessa Signature, Appleton, Kirkwood, and Friendly Farms (dairy) among others (Aldi sells almost entirely private label products). Aldi has no US phone or email listed, and no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Ingles Markets
Store brands include Laura Lynn. Ingles has no statement on its use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email http://www.ingles-markets.com/comments/customer_service/index.php
Call 1-828-669-2941
Roundy’s Supermarkets
Supermarkets include Roundy’s, Pick N’ Save, Copps, Rainbow Foods, Mariano’s Fresh Market, and Metro Market. Store brands include Roundy’s. Roundy’s has no statement on the use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email https://secure.copps.com/ContactUs/ContactUs_S.las?-token.from=login&-token.S=4B5T9R682610518P74a282FANjWN6L53A85FDC|13097|1002081646|||
Call 1-866-742-6728
Save Mart Supermarkets
Supermarkets include Save Mart, S-Mart Foods, Lucky, and FoodMaxx. Store brands include Sunnyside Farms Dairy, Sunny Select, and Today’s Health. SaveMart has no statement on rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email http://savemart.com/index.php?req=sb_contact
Call 1-800-692-5710
Smart & Final
Supermarkets include Smart & Final, Cash & Carry, Harvey’s Farmers Market, Sun Harvest Farmers Market. Store brands include Chef’s Review 3 Star, 4 Star and 5 Star food items, Ambiance coffee, Signature Bakeries baked goods, First Street, Tradewind spices, Montecito, and La Romanella. Smart & Final has no statement on use of rBGH or GM ingredients on its website.
Email customerrelations@smartandfinal.com
Call 1-800-894-0511
Take Action! Call or email these stores and ask them to go Non-GMO in their store brand products and include information on their company policies on GMOs and rBGH on their websites.
Download our Supermarket Activist Kit to get started in your area
Download our supermarket petition
Download our fact sheet, Genetic Engineering, the Secret Ingredient: What the Supermarkets don’t want you to Know
Great site…aside from the fact that 50% of it is “unavailable” or “does not exist”.
Keep up the great work!
Sorry about that! Some of the “preview” boxes were not working correctly, and some of the links were bad as well. I think I have fixed them all. Please let us know if you find any more! Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
What do you do when the only grocery store in your town won’t stock a suffcient amount of food, much less anything healthy? We have one store in our town, Terrible produce selection non GE or otherwise and when you complain, they tell you to email corporate, you email corporate, but nothing changes.
I am so fed up with the grocery industry. How do you on a tight budget manage organic meat or produce when it is almost 3-4 times the cost of the GE poopoo they sell us?
How do we mandate an affordable “CERTIFIED” organic HEALTHY produce, meat, dairy? Our children are going thru puberty at an alarmingly early age….. when they have not yet mastered the social skills necessary to deal with the emotional mood swings hormones play during that time. 9 & 10 year olds should not have to be dealing with this until they are 12 or 13 or older..
If I have one piece of advice to parents, you eat the crap if your budge doesn’t allow all organic, feed the good stuff to your kids! Hormone Free MEAT!
Stop holding the Citizens of the USA hostage to unhealthy food! Look at those that aren’t as fortunate as you or I, how can they possibly make healthy choices when Frozen pizza is a $1.25 and a healthy alternative is $8-$12?
How do we as a country DEMAND better food choices and get the greedy corporate pigs to care just a little about the health of the product they sell and make their money from?
Definately frustrated, I say Class Action Civil suit to force change, not gain money, FORCE healthy food!
Thank you for letting me rant.
Amen…Sister Cindy!!! What good is winning the war on terrorism when we cannot keep our own country safe from agricultural / scientific bullies like Monsanto.
Does it take the length of a full generation to establish the fact that hormones and chemicals in our food directly affect the population’s health? I would venture to say, if parents with school aged children were made to eat what is being offered in public schools, there would be a major rebellion!!!
I for one, would like to see more of my tax dollars going to feed and teach the young and school aged children healthy choices. It may be too late for us, but do we not owe the next generation a healthy, fighting chance?
I am currently doing a research paper on this subject and am becoming horrified. No wonder our health in this country is so bad. It does not surprise me that our government officials have aided the big seed companies in the poisoning of its citizens but we can all vote and write letters. I hope more people feel the way I do and spread the word. Thank you for this web site.
I would love a pamphlet! However, I’ve discovered that none of the links work. The image isn’t functioning as a download, only an image on another page. The links are all broken and one requires a disc? As I said, would love to download the info, but frustrating when site isn’t functioning 100% 8)
I too was assigned a paper to write on any topic under food. I chose G.M./G.E. foods. I am alarmed and angered. The movie Food Inc. really amazed me at how many high level officials in government have been on the payroll at Monsanto.
Why do we all stand for this? Conflicts of interest abound and we need to demand that they step down those in the FDA or Dept of Agriculture if they have worked for the private firms that we need them to watch for us!
The challenging part of my paper is to find the supporting evidence for the side of allowing G.M & G.E. food. So if there is no evidence aside from the propaganda (sales/marketing info) from those companies, then why has anyone allowed this to happen?
Well I can say for a fact now that ALDI in the U.S. stock GMOs. I contacted them via email, because you can’t call. They don’t provide a phone number for you to ask question or voice concerns if you have any. So who wants to shop at a store where you can’t even call them to ask a question. They emailed me back and this is the response I got below. In my opinion, this B.S. email dances around the fact that they sell products with GMO ingredients.
October 3, 2011
Reference: Concern #142857
Dear :
We have received your inquiry as to whether our products are genetically modified. ALDI promises our customers quality products for the best price. Our understanding of product quality includes consumer safety, health and well-being and product sustainability.
Our goal is to enable customers to make informed choices. We work together with our suppliers to communicate nutritional information, while maintaining constant vigilance over the ingredients and materials which are used in our food products.
Thank you for your interest in ALDI.
Aldi’s website has a customer service email option and I used it twice to ask about the obvious missing “made in” information on any label inthe store.
Also a google search for their non information on rbgh, organics etc. Whether I get a response is another question but I DID send two email queries on the issue of labeling and organics i n their ‘private label’ products.
Aldi’s Australia website has a Non-Gmo pledge! But ONLY for Australia!
This, as per their website: “We have achieved ‘green’ status for our Genetically Modified (GM) policy in Greenpeace’s True Food Guide. ALDI complies with all existing regulatory requirements pertaining to GM as stated in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. ALDI does not stock any products which are labeled as containing GM ingredients. ”
In other words, if you live in the US you will continue to get fed crap by Aldi that Aldi’s in other counties have banned. Nice.
This is an unfortunate reality with many supermarkets and food companies–GMO-free in other countries, but not in the U.S. If they can do it there, they can do it here! Maybe people would like to contact them why they don’t offer U.S. customers the same protections? They have no US phone number, but perhaps some questions to their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ALDI-USA/203317719679604?ref=ts