Buy Genetically Modified Food Research Articles

Investigating determinants of willingness to buy genetically modified foods: an approach of structural equation modeling

PurposeThe tendency towards genetically modified (GM) food consumption and production is increasing worldwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing the general population's willingness to buy GM foods in Iran.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model was derived and tested via the primary data gathered from 450 individuals recruited from ten districts of Tabriz, Iran. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was carried out to identify the relationship between related constructs and willingness to buy GM foods.FindingsResults indicated that attitudes towards GM technology and foods along with trust in GM institutes were positive determinants of willingness to buy, while knowledge had a significantly negative impact. Accordingly, the most potent factors influencing consumers' willingness to buy include attitude, which is affected by moral and ethical concerns, and trust followed by knowledge.Originality/valueThe results of this study can help policymakers, farmers, and food industries to make appropriate decisions about the application of gene technology in food production and also cultivation of such products in developing countries such as Iran, where people have little information about these products, despite the import and supply of GM foods.

Do Consumers View the Genetically Modified Food Labeling Systems Differently? “Contains GMO” Versus “Non-GMO” Labels

This article fills the gap in literature by studying consumers’ perceptions of the genetically modified (GM) food labeling systems in China, in terms of the comparison between the mandatory “Contains GMO” and the voluntary “non-GMO” labels. Using a recent survey, we find that the mandatory “Contains GMO” labeling system is considered more important relative to the voluntary “non-GMO” labeling system, and factors driving the perceptions of the two systems are different. Consumers who have more objective GM food knowledge, higher concerns about the GM foods’ health effects, lower intentions to buy GM foods, and higher income perceive both labeling systems as more important than their counterparts. Consumers who believe that they have eaten GM foods without being aware of it consider the mandatory “Contains GM” labeling more important, while consumers who believe GM foods unsafe and oppose GM technology consider the voluntary “non-GMO” labeling more important. The results support the mandatory GM labeling system.

Designing enhanced labeling information to increase consumer willingness to pay for genetically modified foods

PurposeThe regulations for qualitative genetically modified (GM) food labeling do not effectively eliminate the information asymmetries pertaining to the consumption of GM products. China's GM food labeling law requires the presentation of certain categories of GM products on GMO labels on packages. Such information is invaluable for understanding whether the disclosure of more information on GM foods can help alleviate information asymmetry while reducing consumer fear and risk perceptions of GM foods, and thus cause changes in their behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to explore the heterogeneity of consumer preferences for enhanced GM food labeling, how consumer preferences are influenced by labeling information, and how these preferences vary in different consumers.Design/methodology/approachBoth descriptive statistics and econometric techniques, including the multivariate ordered Probit model, were applied to a sample of 566 urban consumers in the Yangtze River Delta region of China. All respondents were divided into two groups: people who would definitely not buy GM foods before selecting enhanced labeling information (“consumer group 1”, sample size 282) and people who would definitely not object to buying GM foods before selecting enhanced labeling information (“consumer group 2”, sample size 274).FindingsThe findings suggest that urban consumers have a preference for different types of enhanced labeling information about GM foods, that such a preference significantly influences their willingness to pay for GM foods, that there exists a large difference in the preferences of different consumer groups, and that enhanced GM food labeling information has a greater impact on those consumers who would not accept GM foods.Originality/valueThis research identifies the GM information disclosures that most affect consumer preferences and how these preferences vary across different segments of consumers, which is a current gap in the literature. The study has demonstrated that enhanced labels of GM foods with diverse information would not alter a consumer's WTP for GM foods who does not perceive the value of information from the enhanced labels, but change positively consumers with uncertainty willingness to pay before disclosure.

The mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods in Brazil: Consumer’s knowledge, trust, and risk perception

Since 2003, Brazilian-specific legislation has stipulated that foods containing more than 1% of genetically modified (GM) ingredients must provide information regarding their origin with an identification symbol on its label. The purpose of this study was to verify the knowledge of consumers concerning the mandatory labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients and analyze the possible motivations behind the willingness of the consumer to buy these foods in Brazil. Research was conducted on 224 consumers of different socioeconomic levels from Limeira, São Paulo (SP), Brazil. Consumers were asked about socio-demographic variables and were assessed for their knowledge of the symbol for genetically modified ingredients on food labels. Depending on the consumers’ answer about the symbol, they would be directed to a specific set of assertions. In the end, seventeen assertions were scored using a 5-point Likert scale to determine their profile. These assertions were categorized into five constructs: social trust, reduced price, perceived risk, perceived quality, and willingness to buy. This data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling. Most consumers (74.6%) did not recognize the symbol used in the mandatory labeling, although a younger age, a concern regarding GM foods, and a high level of education increased the chances of recognizing the symbol. Many of the consumers who were able to identify the symbol have found the GM labeling difficult to interpret. With regard to their willingness to buy GM foods, positive effects were observed for reduced price and perceived quality, while a negative effect was observed for risk perception. The effect of risk perception was moderated by social trust and perceived quality. These results indicate that although the Brazilian GM food label policy is aligned with similar policies in developed countries, it has been implemented without an adequate disclosure. The consumers had a high confidence with regards to the science and the government, reducing their risk perception. Our findings indicate that in order to improve the effectiveness of this food policy, the Brazilian Ministry of Health should invest in advertising the labels, targeting the elderly and individuals with lower levels of education.

Scientists’ attitudes toward agricultural GM technology development and GM food in China

PurposePrevious studies have mainly focused on public opinions regarding genetically modified (GM) technology and GM food. The purpose of this paper is to assess scientists’ attitudes on whether China needs to develop its national agricultural GM technology and their willingness to buy GM food.Design/methodology/approachA stratified sampling method was used to select and interview 806 scientists from six major agricultural universities and 20 research institutes under two national academies in China in 2013. Based on these data, the authors use both descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis to examine scientists’ attitudes toward agricultural GM technology and food, using GM soybean oil as an example of GM foods.FindingsThe survey results show that nearly three-quarters of scientists agree that China needs to develop its agricultural GM technology, but their attitudes differ largely. Only 29 percent of scientists are willing to buy GM soybean oil, similar to urban consumers (25 percent) in China. The knowledge of biology is extensive for some scientists but varies significant among scientists and correlates positively with their attitudes toward agricultural GM technology and GM soybean oil. Younger and male scientists with higher professional titles, and those involved in GM research are more in favor of China’s GM technology compared to other scientists. Female scientists, scientists with lower professional titles, those that have never engaged in GM research or are from non-agricultural scientific disciplines are less willing to buy GM soybean oil. Interestingly, their low willingness to buy GM soybean oil is inconsistent with the fact that it is the most common edible oil in China.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine scientists’ attitudes toward GM technology and food in China. The results of this study contribute to understanding the current debates on GM technology and the relevance of research, based on the willingness to buy GM food, for decision making regarding the commercialization of GM technology.

Investigating factors influencing consumer willingness to buy GM food and nano-food

Emerging technologies applied to food products often evoke controversy about their safety and whether to label foods resulting from their use. As such, it is important to understand the factors that influence consumer desires for labeling and their willingness-to-buy (WTB) these food products. Using data from a national survey with US consumers, this study employs structural equation modeling to explore relationships between potential influences such as trust in government to manage technologies, views on restrictive government policies, perceptions about risks andbenefits,andpreferencesforlabelingonconsumer's WTB genetically modified (GM) and nano-food prod- ucts. Some interesting similarities and differences between GM- and nano-food emerged. For both tech- nologies, trust in governing agencies to manage tech- nologies did not influence labeling preferences, but it did influence attitudes about the food technologies themselves. Attitudes toward the two technologies, as measuredbyrisk-benefitcomparisonsandcomfortwith consumption, also greatly influenced views of govern- ment restrictive policies, labeling preferences, and WTB GM or nano-food products. For differences, labeling preferences were found to influence WTB nano-foods, but not WTB GM foods. Gender and religiosityalsohadvaryingeffectsonWTBandlabeling preferences: while gender and religiosity influenced labeling preferences and WTB for GM foods, they did not have a significant influence for nano-foods. We propose some reasons for these differences, such as greater media attention and other heuristics such as value-based concerns about ''modifying life'' with GM foods. The results of this study can help to inform policies and communication about the application of these new technologies in food products.

Factors Influencing Young Consumers’ Acceptance of Genetically Modified Food in India

We analyzed the determinants of acceptance of genetically modified food (GMF) by using the probit model. In this study, we found that around 41% of the students are willing to buy GMF, and acceptance of GMF is less in female respondents than male respondents. The findings indicate that in India, benefit perception of GMF outweighed the risk perception. We also found that respondents’ trust in international organizations for truthful information has a positive and significant influence on acceptance of GMF.

An Investigation into the Consumer Acceptance of Genetically Modified Foods at the Chris Hani District Municipality , Eastern Cape , South Africa

Consumer acceptance of genetically modified odd food products remains a critical factor that will affect the future growth of agricultural biotechnology. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the consumer acceptance of GM foods in Chris Hani District Municipality. In this regard, a survey of 60 individual interviews (consumers) and 6 focus groups were conducted in Queenstown in August and September 2013, to determine consumer acceptance towards genetically modified (GM) foods. Above a third (38%) of the respondents were aware of GM foods, mostly from newspapers, television and radio. Others had learned about GM crops at school, newspapers and television that were more important to more educated consumers. Consumers acknowledged the technology’s potential positive impacts, with more than 80% (of those who know a lot) assenting that it increases productivity. Fifty one percent said they would buy GM foods at the same level as their favourite brands, although many had concerns; group discussion respondents feared that GM technology could lead to a loss of biodiversity and affect non-target insects, and had concerns about the effects of GM food on human health in the longer term.

The Power of Association: Its Impact on Willingness to Buy GM Food

ABSTRACT Affect, associations, and images associated with food technologies may be important factors influencing consumers’ perception of and willingness to accept new food technologies. The aim of the present study was to investigate free associations evoked by the term “biotechnology” and how they influence behavior. Therefore, participants (N = 632) were asked to name three associations they had in mind when confronted with the term “biotechnology.” After that, respondents indicated how positive or how negative these associations were. Additionally, an equivalent gain task was used to measure participants’ behavioral intentions related to genetically modified (GM) chocolate. Results of a log-linear analysis and a correspondence analysis suggest that attitudes toward biotechnology result in a wide range of associations. Participants having negative attitudes mentioned images related to the environment and industry more often compared with participants having positive attitudes. Results of the equivalent gain task show that willingness to buy GM chocolate can be predicted by the subjects’ three reported associations (p < .001), as well as by their gender (p = .003). The model explains 33.5% of the variance. Affect related to people's associations with gene technology strongly influenced their acceptance of GM foods.

The influence of regulatory fit on evaluation and intentions to buy genetically modified foods: The mediating role of social identification

The present study examines how communicated messages could be effective in affecting consumers' attitudes and behavioural intentions regarding genetically modified (GM) foods. Based on Regulatory Focus Theory, it was hypothesized that exposure to a communication message matching a consumer's regulatory orientation (i.e. regulatory fit) leads to more positive attitudes and greater willingness to buy GM foods than exposure to a communication message that does not match with consumer's regulatory orientation. Moreover, it was expected that social identification with the consumer of GM foods mediates the relationship between both regulatory fit and attitudes and regulatory fit and behavioural intentions. The results support our hypotheses by showing that communicated messages that are congruent (vs incongruent) with consumers' regulatory orientations enhanced social identification with the consumer of GM foods, which, in turn, positively affected attitudes and behavioural intentions. Management implications for designing informative messages regarding GM foods are discussed.

On consumers’ willingness to purchase nutritionally enhanced genetically modified food

This study assesses consumers' willingness to purchase genetically modified (GM) food products with two different types of benefits: an input (i.e., reduced pesticides) and an output trait benefit (i.e., nutritionally enhanced). Data were collected using a telephone survey of an Italian households sample. Discrete choice approach is used to elicit the purchase intentions of the respondents. Four separate probit models are estimated to examine the effect of various factors on choices. Results suggest that majority of Italians are not willing to buy GM food products even if they are nutritionally enhanced. However, more consumers are willing to buy a nutritionally enhanced plant based GM product than a traditional plant based GM (with input trait benefit). Willingness to buy for a nutritionally enhanced animal based GM product and for a traditional animal based GM product with input trait benefit are similar. Consumers unwilling to buy GM food would not buy it even if it is nutritionally enhanced and has lower price. However, there is a niche of consumers who are willing to buy nutritionally enhanced GM food products even at a premium. Knowledge of science and trust in scientists consistently affect Italian consumers' willingness to buy the GM products.

Consumers' Acceptance and Willingness to Buy GM Food

In this study, taking into account the increasing consumers' interest in quality and food safety, an attempt was made to study how consumers' beliefs and values associated to Genetically Modified (GM) food and GM production process affect the acceptance and therefore the willingness-to-buy GM food. A survey was simultaneously conducted in two countries, Germany and Greece, using personal interviews, to identify and assess the factors that influence consumers' willingness-to-buy GM food. Findings revealed that consumers' acceptance of GM food is strongly influenced by their beliefs and values and the reasoning of their behavior in both countries is based on the same underpinnings. However, noteworthy differences between the two countries have been recorded as well. Finally, understanding the public's range of views on technological advance in food production is very important to understand and anticipate potential acceptance problems.

The effect of knowledge types on consumer‐perceived risk and adoption of genetically modified foods

AbstractScientists have asserted that genetically modified (GM) food offers financial, environmental, health, and quality benefits to society, but the realization of such benefits depends on consumer acceptance of this new technology. Consumer concerns about GM food raise questions about what consumers know about GM food and to what extent this knowledge translates into their evaluations of GM products. The present research empirically examines the effect of both objective and subjective knowledge on perceived risk and, in turn, key consumer behaviors associated with GM food. The results reveal that objective knowledge about GM food significantly reduces performance and psychological risks, whereas subjective knowledge influences only physical risk, and the valence of that impact depends on the level of the consumer's objective knowledge. Furthermore, different risk types enhance consumers' information search and reduce their propensity to buy GM food. The overall findings thus suggest the need for cooperation among government, scientific institutions, and the food industry to foster effective communication strategies that increase consumers' objective knowledge, reduce their risk perceptions, and encourage consumer adoptions of GM technology. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Awareness, acceptance of and willingness to buy genetically modified foods in Urban China

There is concern about the extent to which consumers will accept genetically modified (GM) foods if they are commercialized in China. The evidence from the existing literature is mixed and sometimes confusing. The objective of this study is to conduct a large in-depth face-to-face in-house survey that examines the consumers' awareness, acceptance of and willingness to buy GM foods in China. To achieve this objective, a well-designed consumer survey was conducted in 11 cities of five provinces in Eastern China in 2002 and 2003. The results indicate that despite much less information on GM foods available publicly in China, more than two thirds of consumers in urban areas have heard of GM foods. But their knowledge on biotechnology was limited. Chinese consumers' acceptance of and willingness to buy GM foods was much higher than in other countries. Chinese consumers also demonstrated great variance in their acceptance of different GM foods. Information and prices of GM foods were two important factors affecting consumers' attitudes toward GM foods. Based on the findings of this study and given that our sample is in the more developed eastern Urban China, we conclude that the commercialization of GM foods is not likely to receive great resistance from the consumers in China.

Chinese Consumers' Concerns About Food Safety

The objective of this study is to gain an insight to Chinese consumers' knowledge and concerns over food safety from a case study in Tianjin city. The results indicate that Chinese consumers are very much concerned about food safety, particularly with regard to vegetables and dairy products. Chinese consumers know little about genetically modified (GM) and organic foods. Empirical results show that young and highly educated men are the main consumers of the so called pollution-free food, promoted by the Chinese government, and highly educated and variety-seeking consumers are most likely to buy GM food products in the future.

GM plants for your health

When will agricultural biotechnologies, such as genetically modified (GM) crops, reach Europe? This was the main question at the Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference (ABIC)—the largest of its kind—that took place in September this year in Cologne, Germany. Given that the ABIC was accompanied by a parallel conference organized by critics of GM crops and foods, this is an appropriate question. Most of the European Union (EU) member states have not yet approved the GM crops that are used widely and safely elsewhere in the world. Moreover, although the EU has finally lifted its moratorium on GM crops, and has passed new regulations for growing and marketing GM foods, national politics, legislation and ideological views about consumer and environmental protection have further hampered their use. European consumers remain wary of agricultural biotechnology and its products, as they do not see any direct benefits from GM crops and are, therefore, understandably reluctant to accept them. But it is only a matter of time before GM foods arrive on supermarket shelves across Europe, predicts Ashley O'Sullivan, President and CEO of Ag‐West Bio Inc. (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada). “The reality for legislation to regulate agricultural biotechnology is that the train has left the station and there is no way of going back,” he added. > …to convince the cautious European public, agricultural biotechnology still has to […] offer products that directly benefit consumers But to convince the cautious European public, agricultural biotechnology still has to show that it can do more than increase the returns to farmers, and offer products that directly benefit consumers. The next wave of GM plants, which are currently being developed and tested in academic and industry laboratories around the world, including Europe, may soon do this. A range of new GM crops in the research pipeline will offer direct benefits to …

Psychological Determinants of Willingness to Taste and Purchase Genetically Modified Food

Decreasing acceptance of biotechnologies over time has been reported in Europe. Studies claim that attitudes are negative, even hostile, and that people are very worried about genetic engineering in food and medicine. However, such studies are mostly based on surveys and these have significant methodological problems, such as low response rates, which may indicate that only those with strong views respond, thus biasing the sample. Here an alternative method, involving "topic-blind" recruitment of participants and a behavioral measure (food tasting), was used. We show that in a topic-blind sample of 100 individuals, 93% willingly tasted and ate what they believed to be genetically modified (GM) food in an experimental setting, and 48% said they would buy GM food in the future, results that are surprising in the context of other reports about attitudes and intentions toward GM food. Purchasers and nonpurchasers differed in their attitudes toward GM food on key risk-related scales (particularly on a dread-not dread scale--a measure of integral affect--and an ethical-unethical scale). Despite these differences, however, and despite their negative attitude, most nonpurchasers (85.7%) still tasted the GM apple. Incidental affect (state stress and trait worry) was not found to influence risk-related judgments about GM food. Integral affect (dread of GM plants and animals used for food) and concerns about the future risks of GM animals in food were found to be key predictors of willingness to purchase GM food.

Perceptions and Attitudes of Singaporeans towards Genetically Modified Food

This study examines the perceptions and attitudes of Singaporean residents who attended the first public lecture on genetically modified (GM) food in the country. Scales were developed for the underlying consumer concerns, and their relationship with one another and with demographic variables were examined. Slightly more than half of those who attended the talk (n= 417) indicated that they were worried about GM foods and 86 percent agreed or strongly agreed that GM foods should be labeled. Issues relating to health, ethics, and perceived benefits were the major underlying concerns. These were related to several demographic variables and also to perceived knowledge about biotechnology. Women were more concerned about the ethical and health aspects compared to men. Those with post‐graduate education were the least concerned about health and ethical issues and more likely to buy GM foods if consumer benefits are shown. Married respondents were less concerned about health issues compared to single ones. Also, those with children under fifteen years of age were less concerned about health issues compared to others and more likely to buy GM foods if consumer benefits are shown. Respondents subscribing to the Hindu religion were more likely than others to buy GM foods If benefits are shown. Also, those who considered themselves vegetarians were more concerned about the ethical aspects of GM foods compared to others.