Press Release
Issued 7th July

What’s for Dinner?...
Consumer Choice explores the reality and ethics of cloning,
and asks what’s next for the food industry?

The July issue of Consumer Choice magazine - Ireland’s only independently written, researched and published consumer affairs magazine - is available now from the Consumer Association of Ireland. Packed full of information and expert opinion for the Irish consumer, this month’s edition examines the future of food production, investigating controversial processes such as cloning genetically superior animals. Each month the consumer experts at Consumer Choice magazine undertake extensive product testing and comparisons. In this month’s edition, in the wake VRT rates coming into effect they put ‘Super Mini’ Cars under the microscope.

Cloning has been in the news since the Dolly the Sheep, but as more breakthroughs are being made in this area, more conflicting arguments are coming to light. Consumer Choices Aisling Murtagh asks ‘Who should we believe?’  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believe that food from cloned animals is no different than food from conventionally bred animals. However research conducted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recognises that limited data and uncertainties exist. It also recognises that there are health and welfare issues associated with the cloning of animals. Both opinions are scientifically based and do not take into account the moral or ethical issues involved. “If cloning does become a reality, labelling and traceability are vital to protect the consumer’s right to choice”, Consumer Choice’s Aisling Murtagh continues “this is the very least that consumers deserve, and the CAI demands that it be prioritised for the safety and consideration of all consumers.”

Consumer Choice’s Mark Channing advises Irish consumers of the steps that they can take to decrease the impact of the credit crunch on their lives. The average consumer is now feeling the impact of the credit crunch due to higher mortgage and credit card repayments. Channing urges consumer to look after their credit rating and where possible save for a rainy day. “Consumers need to be aware of the steps they can take to weather the credit crunch storm”, advises Channing. “Consumers need to be more vigilant than ever to ensure they manage their finances rather than have their finances manage them.”

Also in this month’s edition of Consumer Choice magazine, Folic acid and the prevention of neural tube defects (NTD) come under the spotlight. With the incidence of NTD’s higher in Ireland then the rest of Europe, and over half of Irish pregnancies being unplanned, many Irish women are missing the crucial early stages of pregnancy when the neural tube is developing. Other countries have tackled this problem by the introduction of mandatory folic acid fortification of foods and have witnessed a decline in the incidence of NTDs recorded. Consumer Choice asks, ‘Is it time Ireland followed suit?’  “The mandatory folic acid fortification of food may not be the solution, the implications of fortifying foods with folic acid for those outside of the target category must be investigated further,” Consumer Choice’s Aisling Murtagh explains. “There are risks and benefits associated with the fortification of food with folic acid and a clear distinction must be made between the benefits of folic acid at recommended levels, and the potential risks of a high intake such as bowel cancer.”

Other topics covered in this month’s issue include consumer rights when shopping online, and the pros and cons involved. Consumer Choice guides readers through the range of environmental claims found on products in their Green labelling guide. And this month’s product comparison feature looks at small cars and road tests the top ten, giving advice on the best buys in this increasingly popular car category. The Choice researchers also put the latest bridge camera’s and semi professional SLR cameras to the test, and advise on the best buys in these cameras both in store and online.