REVISITING THE DEMAND FOR GMO PRODUCTS: DOES INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD WASTE INFLUENCE CONSUMER PREFERENCES?

Abstract

As consumer demand for organic and non-GE foods continues to grow, GE crops with food-waste reduction benefits are being developed, but the adoption of these GE varieties depends heavily on consumer acceptance. Past research suggests products containing GE ingredients are stigmatized more heavily than non-GE products. However, given the potential of new GE foods to reduce food waste, in this paper I investigate how different information about GE foods influences consumer preferences for conventional, organic, and Non-GMO labeled snack products. Using a discrete choice survey, I ask participants to choose between two versions of the same snack product as the price varies; one of the snack products is always conventional, and the other product is USDA organic, Non-GMO certified, or both. Overall, I find that positive information about the food-waste reduction abilities of GE foods does not significantly influence a consumer’s preference for snack products.