Greenpeace finds illegal pesticides in Istanbul supermarket tomatoes

Greenpeace Türkiye has reported significant pesticide contamination in tomatoes purchased from five major supermarket chains in Istanbul, including A101, BİM, CarrefourSA, Migros, and ŞOK. As part of its ‘What is Inside?’ campaign, the organization analyzed 20 tomato samples in an internationally accredited laboratory.

The findings revealed that 15% of the samples contained pesticides that violate current regulations. Specifically, two of the three non-compliant products contained active ingredients for which no usage license exists, despite being labeled with the ‘good agriculture’ logo in the Hal Kayıt Sistemi. One sample contained Chlorfenapyr, a substance that has been entirely banned since December 31, 2010.

Furthermore, 70% of the samples (14 out of 20) contained at least one substance from the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) group. The study also noted a ‘cocktail effect,’ with 35% of the samples containing more than three different types of pesticides. Only one of the 20 samples was found to be free of any pesticide traces.

In response, Greenpeace Türkiye issued a ‘Market Report Card,’ calling for greater transparency in supply chains, stricter pesticide residue limits, and support for farmers transitioning to ecological production. The organization also demanded that independent laboratory audit results be made public.