More than 20 years ago, the Pesticide Reduction Program (PRP) was launched in cooperation between the independent, Austrian environmental protection organization GLOBAL 2000 and REWE International AG for fruit and vegetables from conventional agriculture at BILLA, BILLA PLUS, ADEG and PENNY. Since the beginning of regular testing, the pesticide contamination of fruit and vegetables has been continuously reduced by means of strict controls - with great success: since 2003, a total of around 24,000 tests have been carried out in more than 70 countries. Customers can be sure that tests have been carried out not only when buying our own brands such as "Da komm' ich her!", "Wunderlinge" or "Ich bin Österreich", but also for all fruit and vegetable products on offer.
"Our fruit and vegetables are randomly tested weekly for pesticide residues and in case of overloads we immediately draw consequences. The values for our producers are for the most part even stricter than the legal requirements. If the maximum values specified in the PRP program are exceeded, samples are taken again. If the results are the same, deliveries are stopped. Only when the producers concerned present a quality assurance concept and subsequent tests show that they are in order again will the products be returned to our stores," explains Tanja Dietrich-Hübner, Head of Sustainability at REWE International.
The data from these tests can be viewed online by all customers at any time. "This level of safety and transparency was a revolution in Austria 20 years ago and has been a fixed component of our quality assurance in terms of ecology and the health of our customers ever since," Dietrich-Hübner continues.
Pesticides and their effects
Pesticides are a collective term for toxic substances that are used against animal pests, diseases or unwanted weeds. In conventional agriculture, synthetic chemical agents are predominantly used. The use of pesticides is practice and not harmful per se. However, there are potential drawbacks to their use when overused. In excessive quantities, certain chemicals can be harmful to hormone balance (EDC - Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals) or even carcinogenic. To protect customers, pesticide limits have therefore been set in the PRP. In addition, since 2009 the "cocktail effect" has also been taken into account, whereby an interaction between different pesticides is taken into account.
Consumer safety and continuous development
Another focus is on the cooperation between GLOBAL 2000 and producers and suppliers. For example, workshops are held on how to transport vegetables more gently in order to stop the overuse of sprout inhibitors in the long term. In addition, a joint target was set to reduce 25 active ingredients in selected products to zero residues (< 0.01 mg/kg) by 2024.
Claudia Meixner, Head of the Pesticide Reduction Program: "For two decades, GLOBAL 2000 has been working to ensure that fewer pesticides end up on our plates through strict standards, regular inspections, improvements in the field and transparency. The cooperation with REWE Group is unique especially because they have always worked towards a common goal: The gradual reduction of pesticides to the absolute minimum. The self-imposed standards underscore the ambitions with which the Pesticide Reduction Program has been implemented for fruit and vegetables from around the world for 20 years now."
Organic, pesticide-free alternatives: Yes! Natürlich and BILLA Bio
A pesticide-free alternative is offered by the strictly tested products of the organic brands Ja! Natürlich and BILLA Bio. Due to the ban on synthetic chemical pesticides, organic farmers have always relied on resistant varieties and species, such as the scab-resistant Topaz apple. Another credo is to act so proactively that there is no harvest risk from pest or disease infestation in the first place. With Ja! Natürlich and BILLA Bio products, customers not only choose food of the highest organic quality, but also support small-scale and regional agriculture.
Current information and tests can be found at:
https://www.billa.at/nachhaltigkeit/pestizidreduktionsprogramm
