Consumer Perception of Genetically Modified Organisms and Sources of Information

Abstract

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been available for commercial purchase since the 1990s, allowing producers to increase crop yields through bioengineering that creates herbicide-resistant and insect-resistant varieties. However, consumer knowledge about GMOs has not increased at the same rate as the adoption of GMO crops. Consumers worldwide are displaying limited understanding, misconceptions, and even unfamiliarity with GMO food products. Many consumers report that they receive information about GMO food products from the media, Internet, and other news sources. These sources may be less reliable than scientific experts whom consumers trust more to present the facts. Although many in the United States support mandatory GMO labeling (similar to current European standards), consumer awareness of current GMO labeling is low. A distinction must also be made between GMO familiarity and scientific understanding, because those who are more familiar with it tend to be more resistant to bioengineering, whereas those with higher scientific knowledge scores tend to have less negative attitudes toward GMOs. This brings to question the relation between scientific literacy, sources of information, and overall consumer knowledge and perception of GMO foods.

Decisions to choose genetically modified foods: how do people's perceptions of science and scientists affect their choices?

“…Although existing studies have suggested that people's scientific knowledge impacts their attitudes towards GM food [e.g. Wunderlich and Gatto, 2015], people's scientific knowledge does not necessarily reflect their perception and acceptance of the technology. In the process of making decisions about controversial food technologies, researchers note that members of the public can make decisions without ample relevant scientific knowledge.…”

Development of a Questionnaire to Assess People’s Food Choices Determinants

“…On the other hand, the item that had the worst correlation with almost all other items was number 10, associated to the consumption of genetically modified foods (GM foods). GM foods are still a controversial subject, due to lack of knowledge, misconceptions and even a lack of familiarity with GM food products by worldwide consumers [26].…”

Moderating effects of food type and consumers' attitude on the evaluation of food items labeled “additive‐free”

“…Similarly, when a product is labeled “organic,” consumers perceive it to be nutritious (Andrews et al, ; Chandon & Wansink, ; Roe et al, ) and low‐calorie (Lee et al, ). Consumers who are familiar with genetically modified organism (GMO) prefer non‐GMO food (Wunderlich & Gatto, ), and consumers who prefer non‐GMO goods have higher likelihood of purchasing them (Vecchione, Feldman, & Wunderlich, ). In Haroldson and Yen's () pilot study, the majority of participants believed non‐GMO foods were somewhat or very healthy in general (Haroldson & Yen, ).…”