Approach

PepsiCo aims to produce great-tasting, high-quality convenient foods and drinks in every part of the world, while also ensuring that our products meet or exceed appropriate safety and quality standards.

Bioengineered ingredients have been widely used safely in agriculture for more than 20 years.¹ They have been proven to be safe for consumption and are often beneficial to the environment, with characteristics like resilience to water shortages or resistance to certain pests.^2,3 We understand that some consumers and other stakeholders have questions about bioengineered food and ingredients, sometimes referred to as genetically modified organisms (GMO) or genetically engineered (GE). As new technologies have developed, consumer concerns have arisen around potential impacts to human health or the environment. Food and consumer safety is important to PepsiCo, and we support the use of innovative technologies when they are proven safe for humans and the environment.

The use of bioengineered food and ingredients is safe. Some of the most prominent regulatory agencies and organizations that study the safety of the food supply, including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, Health Canada, the European Food Safety Authority, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Academy of Sciences, have found that bioengineered food and ingredients are safe and no negative health effects associated with their use have been recorded.

Suppliers who use bioengineered ingredients are expected to follow the same quality, safety and environmental guidelines as conventional suppliers. Our Global Sustainable Agriculture Policy sets standards of performance and expectations for growers across our diverse, global supply chains, including compliance with governmental laws, regulations and industry standards including the appropriate use of pesticides. For more information, please see Agriculture and Pesticides and other agrochemicals.

PepsiCo's use of bioengineered ingredients

Government approval of the usage and labeling of bioengineered foods differs from market to market. PepsiCo complies with all relevant regulatory requirements where we operate. Like other global food and beverage companies, PepsiCo recognizes that different regional markets can have different expectations and consumer preferences as well as varied raw material availability. Depending on local factors, individual business units may choose not to use bioengineered ingredients, even if government-approved for use. For example, we offer “non-GMO” verified ingredients in our Stacy’s Pita Chips, Quaker Organic Oatmeal, Simply brand snacks and Off the Eaten Path product lines in certain markets.

Labeling

PepsiCo ensures that products containing bioengineered materials comply with local regulations for their use, including any labeling requirements. We believe that labeling standards should be clear and consistent so that consumers can better understand the safety, prevalence and benefits of bioengineered ingredients and can make informed choices for themselves and their families. For more information on our product labeling practices, see Product labeling and claims.

¹U.S. FDA. Science and History of GMOs and Other Food Modification Processes, April 2023.

²U.S. FDA. How GMO Crops Impact Our World, April 2023.

³U.K. Natural History Museum The future of eating: how genetically modified food will withstand climate change, April 2021.