Title: Determinants of consumers' willingness to accept GM foods

Authors: Wallace M.S. Yee, W. Bruce Traill, Jayson L. Lusk, Sara R. Jaeger, Lisa O. House, Melissa Moore, J.L. 'Bert' Morrow, Carlotta Valli

Addresses: University of Liverpool, UK. ' Department of Agricultural and Food Economics, University of Reading, Reading, UK. ' Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Ok, USA. ' Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand. ' Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida, Florida, USA. ' Department of Marketing, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, USA. ' Division of Business, Birmingham Southern College, Alabama, USA. ' Researcher, National Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rome, Italy

Abstract: This paper investigates Willingness to Accept (WTA) Genetic Modification (GM) foods based on experimental auctions carried out in the USA, UK and France. It explores perceptions of risk and benefits, moral concerns and their antecedents, attitudes to the environment and technology and trust in various sources using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Trust in information provided by industry proved to be the most important determinant of risk/benefit perceptions and WTA followed by general attitudes to the environment and technology. Education and age are also enhance perceived benefits and lower perceived risks of GM. Perception of risk/benefit and moral concerns all have significant effects on consumers| WTA but the perceived benefits are most important. The research suggests that trust-building by industry would be the most effective in enhancing GM acceptance.

Keywords: genetic modification; genetically modified crops; GM crops; agricultural biotechnology; attitudes; risk perception; benefits perception; knowledge; trust; demographics; structural equation modelling; SEM; experimental auctions; willingness to accept GM; USA; United States; United Kingdom; UK; France; GM acceptance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBT.2008.018356

International Journal of Biotechnology, 2008 Vol.10 No.2/3, pp.240 - 259

Published online: 18 May 2008 *

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