Do environmental attitudes and food technology neophobia affect perceptions of the benefits of nanotechnology?

Abstract

In recent years, a significant amount of research has focussed on the analysis of consumers' aversion to new technologies in food production and processing. At the same time, research has shown that environmental attitudes may be related to purchasing behaviour of consumers. This paper presents the result of an investigation into Canadian attitudes towards nanotechnology, in general, and in applications in the food industry. The relationship between the food technology neophobia scale, environmental attitudes and nanotechnology is examined. The results suggest that food technology neophobia is significant in explaining attitudes towards nanotechnology, in general, and for food packaging and foods. Environmental attitudes are important in explaining respondents' attitudes towards nanotechnology in general but not in explaining attitudes towards nanotechnology in food packaging or food applications. Survey respondents' views of the role of science and technology in society (makes society worse or better off) are a more important determinant of attitudes towards nanotechnology than whether they had heard of nanotechnology prior to the survey.

Acceptance of nanotechnology applications and satisfaction with food-related life in southern Chile

“…Although it was possible to confirm the lack of existing knowledge of nanotechnology in the total sample (Hosseini et al, 2012;Siegrist et al, 2008), no differences were observed in the identified segments, contrary to what has been reported in developed countries (Frewer et al, 2011;Bieberstein et al, 2013;Rollin et al, 2011). Furthermore, no demographic differences between the groups were detected, in contrast to studies that have found differences associated with consumer's gender and age Eurobarometer, 2006).…”

“…In the near future, nanotechnology may become increasingly important in the food sector since government agencies and industry have been investing considerable resources in its development and implementation (Frewer et al, 2011). There is evidence to suggest, however, that nanotechnology is still unknown to many people (Reisch et al, 2011;Siegrist, 2008;Hosseini et al, 2012).…”

“…The results of these studies show that consumers perceive nanotechnology applications differently, and those that involve the use of nanotechnology in food packaging are more accepted than those that involve the use of nanotechnology in food processing (Siegrist et al, 2007Stampfli et al, 2010;Bieberstein et al, 2013). Among the factors that affect acceptance of nanotechnology are the perceived risks and benefits (Siegrist et al, 2007Stampfli et al, 2010), knowledge and information regarding nanotechnology (Frewer et al, 2011;Rollin et al, 2011;Roosen et al, 2011), trust in the food industry and government regulations (Frewer et al, 2011;Hosseini et al, 2012;Siegrist et al, 2007Siegrist et al, , 2008Siegrist et al, , 2009Stampfli et al, 2010), and consumer demographics (Siegrist et al, 2007Eurobarometer, 2006).…”

Consumer behavior in choice of minimally processed vegetables and implications for marketing strategies

“…Literature on the acceptability of new food technologies has mainly focused on those that, in actual fact or in the imagination of consumers, substantially modify the characteristics of a particular food, such as GMOs, nanotechnologies etc. It has also shown that consumers: 1) are favorable to food innovations which enhance the quality and nutritional value of food; 2) are critical of technologies which, in their view, require an excessive modification of the original product and could be dangerous to human health and the environment; 3) can be influenced by information, and 4) there are differences between consumers of different countries (Coppola & Verneau, 2014;Cox & Evans, 2008;De Barcellos et al, 2010;Evans, Kermarrec, Sable, & Cox, 2010;Frewer et al, 2011;Matin et al, 2012;Nielsen et al, 2009;Siegrist, 2008;Stampfli, Siegrist, & Kastenholz, 2010;Verbeke, Perez-Cueto, Barcellos, Krystallis, & Grunert, 2010). …”

Food Integrity and Food Technology Concerns in Canada: Evidence from Two Public Surveys

“…There are a number of studies that have already examined the role of trust in terms of nanotechnology and those substantiate the need to include trust variables in the analysis. For example, Matin et al [7] examined the effect of environmental attitudes and the fear of novel technologies (food technology neophobia) on consumer's acceptance of nanotechnology in general and its application in the food industry in Canada. The study found that food technology neophobia had a stronger effect on the support for nanotechnology than did environmental attitudes.…”