Code of conduct aims to fill tiny retail void

Perhaps already in a supermarket near you: carbon nanotubes Keystone Archive

The Swiss Retailers Association (SRA) has launched what it claims to be the world's first code of conduct for nanotechnologies in its sector.

The association says it wants to bridge a legislative void and answer concerns about little-understood developments and uses of this tiny technology. But consumer specialists are wary of the new code.

Nanotechnology generally enjoys a positive image in Switzerland. The first consumer products are slowly making their way into stores, as special paints or as dirt-proof coatings for clothing for example.

Acceptance hasn’t proven too difficult so far, but a survey carried out by the Swiss Centre for Technology Assessment two years ago showed that while the population recognises the potential of nanotech products, it wouldn’t accept them uncritically.

For the SRA this is not surprising – and reason enough to introduce a code of conduct.

“We got the feeling that the public was unsure of what constitutes nanotechnology and what uses it can be put to,” said Sibyl Anwander, head of the association’s food safety group. “People are concerned about the risk factor.”

The SRA says that given the uncertainty surrounding nanotechnology, it has a gatekeeper role to play between producers and consumers. It warns that any benefits of this technology might be sidelined if information is restricted on its risks.

Anwander points to the earlier debate surrounding gene technology as an example of what not to do. “We saw that because of a lack of open communication, including about potential risks, there was a lot of mistrust of gene technology,” she told swissinfo.

Legislative void

So far nanotechnology has not entered the commercial food chain. However, there are no guarantees that nanoparticles have not found their way into products such as cosmetics, according to Anwander.

The SRA says that its code of conduct will help overcome this problem and fill a legislative void.

“We believe that legislation is needed and have been discussing the issue with the authorities, but we cannot sit around and wait for a law to be passed,” Anwander added.

“We aren’t defining what nanotechnology is and we don’t want to ban products,” she said. “What we are promising with this code is to make information available to consumers.”

Clear labelling

For consumers, it sounds like a good deal. But not everyone is convinced it will work.

“It’s a good initiative, but it is also insufficient,” said Huma Khamis of the consumer association of western Switzerland. “What bothers me is how they intend to inform consumers. A line buried on a website can be considered consumer information.”

This is possibly one of the weak points of the code: retailers won’t be pushing for a specific label.

One reason given is the lack of a clear definition of just what constitutes a nanotech product. The other is, the retailers say, the impossibility of forcing suppliers to add labels if there is no legal obligation.

For consumer associations, this is not good enough.

“What we want is clear labelling on the product and that its origins can be traced back to the manufacturer so we know where it came from and how it was produced,” Khamis told swissinfo.

Other problems for Khamis include a lack of information about packaging, which could soon include nanotechnology, and about how retailers plan to assess the value of a nanotech product, which is supposed to provide added value.

She warns that while there is a stated desire to inform consumers, the grey zones contained in the code mean that retailers will also want to protect their own interests.

swissinfo, Scott Capper

Nanotechnology

In the field of nanotechnology, research and experiments are conducted at the level of single atoms and molecules, according to the Swiss Centre for Technology Assessment.

“Nano” stands for an order of magnitude of one billionth of a metre. At this dimension the properties of materials can undergo radical changes.

While nanotechnology offers a glimpse of a whole array of new possibilities, there are also potential risks to consider.

What may be harmless as a microparticle (one millionth of a metre) may have serious effects on human beings and the environment as a nanoparticle.

Last week the government approved an action plan for synthetic nanomaterials, which should help evaluate various risk factors. The aim is to set up a regulatory framework for nanotechnology.

Swiss Retailers Association

The association was founded in 2005 by six of Switzerland’s biggest retailers, including Migros, Coop and Denner.

Its stated aim is to defend both its members’ (and the sector’s) interests as well as those of consumers.

Politically it wishes to influence the debate surrounding issues such as agricultural policy, a free trade agreement with the European Union, parallel imports and VAT reform.

Code of conduct

Retailers:

1. guarantee product safety
2. remain informed about nanotechnologies
3. inform consumers

Manufacturers and suppliers:

4. must incorporate risk management during production
5. provide evidence of the benfits of the “nanoproduct” over a conventional one
6. provide an evaluation of the risks for humans, animals and the environment