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.
How much farmers benefit from public agricultural research and development (R&D) has been a topic of continued interest. Compared to studies based on classical statistics, we show theoretically and employ the Spatial Durbin Model and the Panel Threshold Regression Model to investigate the different impacts and spatial spillover effects of public agricultural R&D on farm and nonfarm income. Using China's provincial panel data from 2000 to 2015, we find that public agricultural R&D has a positive impact on rural household income. This impact is mainly reflected by nonfarm income and exhibits heterogeneous interprovincial-spatial spillover.We also find that interregional differences in infrastructure, represented by road transportation and Internet access in rural areas, are the main reasons for the spatial heterogeneity. Higher road density and Internet penetration enhance the positive impact of public agricultural R&D on rural income, and the enhancement exhibits characteristics of thresholds, after which the size of enhancement becomes increasingly larger.
Purpose Some researchers argue that consumers’ lack of knowledge is an important factor increasing risk for a new product derived from emerging agricultural technology. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential impacts and the differential effects of subjective and objective perceptions on Chinese consumers’ preferences for the application of a novel biotechnology. Design/methodology/approach Taking transgenic technology as an example and employing data from a survey of 1,000 consumers in Jiangsu Province, the authors develop a mixed-process regression model based on Fishbein’s multiple attributes attitude model. Findings The results suggest that there are apparent differences between Chinese consumers’ subjective perceptions and objective perceptions concerning transgenic technology and genetically modified (GM) food, and there exists certain selective perceptions of the emerging biotechnology. Having a subjective perception concerning transgenic technology has a positive effect on consumers’ overall attitudes, whereas subjective and objective perceptions concerning GM foods have a negative effect on consumers’ overall attitudes. Self-identification generated from subjective perception occupies a dominant position in determining consumers’ attitudes. Originality/value Consumers’ attitudes regarding an agricultural product depend on their perception of the attributes of the technology used to produce such a product. This study attempts to distinguish and empirically test urban consumers’ subjective perceptions (self-assessed or perceived) and objective perceptions (obtained from a test) about transgenic technology and GM foods and the impact of these four types of perception on the consumers’ attitudes regarding the application of transgenic technology. In this paper, the authors construct a mixed-process regression model to address the possible endogeneity of the perception variables.
While a range of climate actions have made remarkable contributions to reducing carbon emissions, the past decades have experienced a sharp increase in carbon inequality, particularly in developed countries. Through the difference-in-differences method we find that the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has relatively smaller impact on individuals with higher income, in other words, those having higher carbon footprints. After the implementation of the EU ETS, the per capita carbon footprint of the top 1% and 10% income groups has only decreased by 28.5% and 29.5%, respectively, while the reduction for the middle 40% and the bottom 50% income groups is 30.4% and 32.3%, respectively. It seems that the EU ETS further exacerbates carbon inequality. Our study implies that while meeting the goals of carbon reduction, for environment justice and social fairness, climate actions should be aware of the possibility of induced carbon inequality.
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