Washington, D.C.—A coalition called “GMO Inside” is calling on Kellogg’s and General Mills to label genetically engineered (GE) ingredients or eliminate them in their products.

The group believes in the right to know whether foods contain GE components, which are found in many of the companies’ snacks and breakfast foods. Thus, GMO Inside asked consumers to take action against General Mills and Kellogg by way of online petitions (10,000 e-mails were sent to each company’s CEO), phone calls and Facebook messages. The group also wants the food giants not to pledge money to support opposition to I-522, the initiative in Washington State that would require GMO labeling.

In response, a Kellogg’s spokesperson stated “health organizations worldwide have concluded that GMOs are safe.”

Later, in February, the same group organized petitions to Hershey and Mars either to stop putting GMOs in Valentine’s products or start labeling them as containing GMOs. Hershey and Mars spent a combined $1 million to defeat California’s Prop 37.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, March 2013 (online 1/24/13, updated 2/13/13)