Russian consumer willingness to pay for genetically modified food

Abstract

Addressing a gap in the literature on genetically modified (GM) food preferences, we conducted a survey in Russia, where legislation forbids GM food production and importation. Based on in-person consumer surveys and choice experiments in Perm, Russia, we estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for bread containing GMOs. In addition, we utilized a principal-component analysis (PCA) to construct variables that indicate types of consumers. Within this approach, we estimate how respondents’ money- and health-consciousness affects their WTP for bread containing GMOs. Our findings are consistent with previous studies of Russian consumer preferences, who find that Russian consumers’ food purchases are often motivated by health concerns and the “naturalness” of foods. Our results indicate that information-seeking health-conscious consumers tend to be less likely to purchase GM foods, while more money-conscious consumers are more likely to purchase the GM product. Overall, even with discounts ranging between 5% and 50%, only around 20% of respondents in our survey are willing to choose bread containing GMOs rather than bread made using conventional inputs.