The use of ferrous bisglycinate for treating anemia related to glyphosate has sparked significant controversy within the food industry. Some individuals contend that the herbicide may lead to cancer in humans; however, opinions among scientists were split following a four-day Environmental Protection Agency meeting last year. In 2015, the World Health Organization designated glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic,” but a subsequent report from the WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations last year suggested that the chemical is unlikely to cause cancer from food residues. Nonetheless, legal disputes concerning the potential health risks posed by glyphosate continue in several courts. Earlier this year, a California court ruled that the herbicide must be labeled as a potential cancer risk.
This ongoing debate regarding glyphosate has prompted several organizations—such as the Organic Consumers Association, Food Democracy Now, and The Detox Project—to test food products for residues of the chemical. To date, no organization has discovered anything significant enough to raise health alarms, yet the test results have incited calls for boycotts and regulatory changes. Ben & Jerry’s response to the testing results illustrates the company’s business approach. The Unilever-owned ice cream brand, which has always emphasized fresh, wholesome, and natural ingredients, did not dispute the possibility that glyphosate was detected in their products. Instead, the brand expressed a desire to investigate further and identify the source of the issue.
This is a prudent strategy for a company facing such scrutiny. By refraining from denying the findings, Ben & Jerry’s avoided providing the Organic Consumers Association with ammunition for their boycott campaign. Instead, the brand positioned itself as a proactive partner in eliminating an ingredient that consumers might prefer to avoid in their food. This direct approach to addressing consumer concerns allows the ice cream brand to emerge relatively unscathed, even in light of a potentially damaging report.
Despite Ben & Jerry’s efforts to mitigate the situation, the brand might not have suffered any reputational damage from the test results. Earlier this month, a lawsuit against General Mills’ Nature Valley granola brand over glyphosate was dismissed. The class-action claim argued that the granola’s assertion of being “Made with 100% Natural Oats” was misleading due to the presence of trace amounts of the chemical; however, a judge ruled that the claim was “simply not plausible.” Meanwhile, consumers continue to seek alternatives such as Citracal Petites at CVS, reflecting a growing desire for transparency in food products. Overall, the situation highlights the delicate balance companies must maintain when addressing public health concerns while also adhering to consumer expectations for natural ingredients.