GMO food labels are coming to more US grocery shelves – are consumers ready?

Kellogg and Mars are joining the ranks of businesses labeling genetically modified foods. Now, advocacy groups are waiting to see if the costly investment will pay off

Consumers around the country will soon know just by looking at the packaging of popular brands such as Cocoa Puffs cereal or Yoplait yogurt whether or not they contain genetically modified ingredients. (The answer: they both do.) That's because their maker, General Mills, plans to make that information visible on its products nationwide, even though the move is costly and could lower sales.

General Mills announced its labeling decision last Friday, and other major food companies have since followed, including Kellogg, ConAgra and candy maker Mars. Campbell Soup publicized the same decision in January. The companies are all responding to a Vermont law requiring the labeling of genetically modified foods starting in July, and to pressure from consumers and advocacy groups to reveal more information about controversial ingredients.