ŞOK Marketler implements pesticide testing for Rio tomatoes

ŞOK Marketler has expanded its pesticide analysis program to include Rio tomatoes, a staple for winter food preparations such as pastes and preserves. The retailer conducts laboratory testing at its supply platforms to ensure compliance with the Turkish Food Codex before products reach store shelves.

To increase transparency, products that have passed these tests are marked with a special label. Consumers can access detailed analysis reports by scanning a QR code on the packaging via the ‘Cepte ŞOK’ mobile application. While the initiative began with tomatoes, peppers, and citrus fruits, the company plans to extend testing to garlic and seedless grapes.

Murat Ülker, a board member of Yıldız Holding, noted that a recent Greenpeace Türkiye research study found no illegal pesticide residues in tomato samples taken from ŞOK Marketler. Ülker emphasized that the company’s food safety process begins in the field through its ‘From Field to Table’ model, which includes technical consultancy for farmers regarding irrigation, spraying, and harvest timing.