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Product attributes, consumer benefits and public approval of genetically modified foods
Author(s) -
Hossain Ferdaus,
Onyango Benjamin,
Schilling Brian,
Hallman William,
Adelaja Adesoji
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of consumer studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.775
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1470-6431
pISSN - 1470-6423
DOI - 10.1046/j.1470-6431.2003.00303.x
Subject(s) - government (linguistics) , genetically modified food , product (mathematics) , marketing , genetically modified organism , business , microbiology and biotechnology , socioeconomic status , public opinion , food processing , value (mathematics) , consumer confidence index , political science , food science , population , biology , sociology , philosophy , mathematics , law , linguistics , computer science , biochemistry , geometry , machine learning , demography , politics , gene
The use of biotechnology in food production has generated considerable debate involving the benefits and risks associated with its use. Consumer acceptance of genetically modified foods is a critical factor that will affect the future of this technology. Using data from a national survey, this study examines how public acceptance of food biotechnology is related to consumers’ socioeconomic and value attributes as well as the benefits associated with the use of this technology. Empirical results suggest that consumer acceptance of food biotechnology increases considerably when the use of this technology brings tangible benefits for the public. Consumers with different socioeconomic and demographic attributes have diverging views of food biotechnology only when its use brings specific benefits to them. When the use of genetic technology confers no additional benefit, public attitudes towards genetically modified foods are driven primarily by their scientific knowledge, views of scientists and corporations associated with biotechnology as well as public trust and confidence in government.