Consumer issues: consumer awareness of and attitudes towards genetic modification

What do UK consumers really think and feel about GM foods?

Much has been said and written about GM foods - including those that have already entered the marketplace, those that are poised to, and those that are some way off. Much of this has 'second guessed' what consumers think and feel about the use of GM technology in food production, and a lot of it may have influenced consumer views and attitudes. These views might change - not just in the wake of media coverage but also as a result of growing familiarity with the technology, the emergence of new applications and the commercial availability of GM products.

This report provides a factual analysis of consumer attitudes to GM technology in food production. It is based on a questionnaire designed to assess consumer knowledge and awareness regarding social, ethical and moral, safety and environmental aspects of genetic modification. The types, use, and effects of different information sources were also explored, including the influence of campaigning versus non-campaigning newspapers. By conducting surveys both in city and rural locations, the attitudes of these contrasting areas are compared.

Contents

• Introduction - background, aims and scope

• Methods - recruitment, fieldwork, respondents and questionnaire

• Results and discussion
  
  Awareness and knowledge
      Actual
      Perceived
      Demographic differences
  
  Attitudes to GM technology
      Environmental issues
      Moral and ethical issues
      Safety issues
      Social issues
      GM in the service sector
      Acceptance of GM technology
      Information on GM technology

• Conclusions and implications

• References

• Appendices - questionnaires and data