EXPRESS: GMO Labeling Policy and Consumer Choice

2021 ◽  
pp. 002224292110649
Author(s):  
Youngju Kim ◽  
SunAh Kim ◽  
Neeraj Arora
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Choice ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Structural Alignment ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Policy Regimes ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
Gmo Labeling ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Specific Label

Most scientists claim that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foods are safe for human consumption and offer societal benefits such as better nutritional content. In contrast, many consumers remain skeptical about their safety. Against this backdrop of diverging views, the authors investigate the impact of different GMO labeling policy regimes on products consumers choose. Guided by the literature on negativity bias, structural alignment theory, and message presentation, and based on findings from four experiments, authors show that consumer demand for GM foods depends on the labeling regime policymakers adopt. Both absence-focused (“non-GMO”) and presence-focused (“contains GMO”) labeling regimes reduce the market share of GM foods, with the reduction being greater in the latter case. GMO labels reduce the importance consumers place on price and enhance their willingness-to-pay for non-GM products. Results indicate that specific label design choices policymakers implement (in the form of color and style) also affect consumer responses to GM labeling. Consumer attitudes toward GMOs moderate this effect – consumers with neutral attitudes toward GMOs are influenced most significantly by the label design.

scholarly journals GMO Labeling: A Case of Asymmetric Information and the "Nudge"

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Hartman
Keyword(s):  
Market Failure ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Current System ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Empirically Supported ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
Correct Information ◽  
Gmo Labeling

From their introduction in the late 1990s, foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have sparked debate among advocates and policymakers. To correct information asymmetry inherent in the current system of selling genetically modified (GM) and non-GM foods alongside each other with no consistent signal of quality across food products, many have suggested—and the European Union and Japan have implemented—labeling regimes. This paper takes the position that consumers’ empirically supported desire (for reasons ranging from nutritional to religious) to avoid GM goods substantiates a market failure resolvable through information provision. Then, it examines labeling through Akerlof’s “Lemons” model and the behaviorist concept of the “nudge.” It concludes that mandatory labeling would maximize social welfare, enabling informed purchasing for all consumers (not only those who shop at more expensive grocers initiating private labeling). Finally, the paper discusses labeling regime implementation—including label design, product purity baseline setting, administration, and consequences.

scholarly journals Heuristic and systematic processing differentially influence the effects of scientific consensus messaging on perceived scientific consensus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiichi Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Message Content ◽  
Presentation Style ◽  
Scientific Consensus ◽  
Gm Food ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
Systematic Processing ◽  
Content Evaluation ◽  
Consensus Information ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis study investigated the impact of scientific consensus messaging on perceived scientific consensus in terms of heuristic and systematic processing. Japanese undergraduates (N = 226) received a message indicating relatively moderate and high levels of scientific consensus on the safety of foods grown with pesticides and genetically modified (GM) foods. Participants in the presentation-style evaluation condition evaluated the style and manner of providing the message and thereby were encouraged to heuristically process information about scientific consensus in the message. Participants in the content evaluation condition evaluated the message content and therefore could process the information systematically. After evaluating the message, participants’ perceptions of scientific consensus improved. The levels of posteriorly perceived scientific consensus were higher for the presentation-style evaluation condition than for the content evaluation condition. Participants’ initial beliefs about the GM-food safety predicted their posterior perceptions of scientific consensus for the content evaluation condition but not for the presentation-style evaluation condition. These results suggest that the heuristic and systematic processing of scientific consensus information differentially influence the impact of scientific consensus messaging.

Correcting Misperceptions About Genetically Modified Food on Social Media: Examining the Impact of Experts, Social Media Heuristics, and the Gateway Belief Model

2020 ◽  
pp. 107554702098137
Author(s):  
Leticia Bode ◽  
Emily K. Vraga ◽  
Melissa Tully
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
The Public ◽  
Scientific Consensus ◽  
Gm Food ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Impact

We experimentally test whether expert organizations on social media can correct misperceptions of the scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified (GM) food for human consumption, as well as what role social media cues, in the form of “likes,” play in that process. We find expert organizations highlighting scientific consensus on GM food safety reduces consensus misperceptions among the public, leading to lower GM misperceptions and boosting related consumption behaviors in line with the gateway belief model. Expert organizations’ credibility may increase as a result of correction, but popularity cues do not seem to affect misperceptions or credibility.

scholarly journals Understanding consumer loyalty to technology-based self-services with credence qualities

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 522-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Schuster ◽  
Judy Proudfoot ◽  
Judy Drennan
Keyword(s):  
Professional Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Behavioral Loyalty ◽  
Behavioral Domain ◽  
Continued Use ◽  
Self Service ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior

Purpose – This paper aims to use the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB) to examine the factors affecting consumers’ continued use of emerging technology-based self-services (TBSSs) with credence qualities. Professional services, which traditionally require specialized knowledge and high levels of interpersonal interaction to produce owing to their credence qualities, are increasingly delivered via self-service technologies. Health services delivered via mobile devices, for example, facilitate self-care without direct involvement from health professionals. Design/methodology/approach – A mental health service delivered via the Internet and mobile phone, myCompass, was selected as the research context. Twenty interviews were conducted with users of myCompass and the data were thematically analyzed. Findings – The findings of the study showcase the unique determinants of consumers’ continued use of TBSSs with credence qualities relative to the more routine services which have been the focus of extant research. The findings further provide support for the utility of the MGB in explaining service continuance, although the importance of distinguishing between extrinsic and intrinsic motivational components of behavioral desire and capturing the impact of social influence beyond subjective norms is also highlighted. Originality/value – This study contributes to recent research examining differences in consumer responses across TBSSs and behavioral loyalty to these services. It also provides empirical evidence for broadening and deepening the MGB within this behavioral domain.

The impact of alternative dietary lipids on the in vitro bioaccessibility of sole fillets for human consumption

Aquaculture ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 474 ◽  
pp. 66-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Afonso ◽  
C. Cardoso ◽  
M. Freire ◽  
I.E. Silva ◽  
F. Linares ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Lipids ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
In Vitro Bioaccessibility ◽  
The Impact

Do brand rumors matter? The role of brand equity and response strategy to brand rumor

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihee Choi ◽  
Soobin Seo
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Restaurant Industry ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Brand Crisis ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate consumer responses to brand rumors and corporate rumor response strategies in the restaurant industry. Design/methodology/approach A scenario-based experimental design was used to examine changes in consumers’ brand evaluation depending on level of brand equity and corporate choice of response strategy. Findings It was found that the impact of brand rumors on consumer responses is more negative when the restaurant’s brand equity is low compared to when it is high. It was also found that a company's use of active response strategies is more effective in combating brand rumor than a strategy of simple denial. Practical implications The findings have significant implications for both academics and practitioners in terms of developing effective response strategies for counteracting brand rumors. Originality/value Given the frequency of brand rumors in the restaurant industry and their serious negative impacts, this study extends the existing brand crisis communication literature by demonstrating how consumers respond to a rumor and the effectiveness of different corporate rumor response strategies.

The Impact of E-Retail Environment Characteristics on E-Satisfaction and Purchase Intent

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung-Hwan Kim ◽  
Minjeong Kim ◽  
Jay Kandampully
Keyword(s):  
Purchase Intent ◽  
Retail Environment ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Online Purchase ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Shopping Experience ◽  
Key Dimensions ◽  
Entertainment Value ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this research is to determine the key dimensions of e-retail environment characteristics which affect consumer e-satisfaction and purchase intent and to examine the mediating role of e-satisfaction and the moderating effects of consumers’ previous e-shopping experience on the relationship between e-retail environment characteristics and consumer responses. The study focused on young adults ranging in age from 18 to 25. The results showed that convenience, customization, security/privacy, web appearance and entertainment value were the key characteristics of e-retail environment impacting e-satisfaction. E-satisfaction fully mediated the effects of e-retail environment characteristics on online purchase intent. Prior e-shopping experience was found to moderate the relationships among the key dimensions of e-retail environment, e-satisfaction, and e-purchase intent. The findings of this study add to the existing literature on e-service quality by focusing on e-retail environment characteristics beyond products and prices, and further by providing e-retailers with practical implications as to how they can improve their website environments for successful e-retailing business.

scholarly journals Identity Preservation of Genetically Modified Organisms in the Food Chain: Requirements, Methods, and Costs

2002 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 762-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Brookes
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Agronomic Traits ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Herbicide Tolerance ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Food Supply Chain

Abstract The use of the technology of genetic modification (GM) in European agriculture and the food supply chain is currently controversial. Because of strong anti-GM technology sentiments, the use of ingredients derived from plants containing GM have largely been eliminated from foods manufactured for direct human consumption by the food supply chain in much of the European Union (EU). During the past year, the attention of those opposed to the technology has turned to the use of GM ingredients in livestock production systems by incorporation of GM soy and maize in animal feed. A discussion is presented of the key issues relating to this subject, focusing on how supplies of GM or non-GM products are segregated or how their identities are preserved. The discussion is centered on GM maize and soybeans into which agronomic traits, such as herbicide tolerance and/or insect resistance, have been incorporated. These are currently the only crops into which some varieties containing GM have been approved for use in the EU.

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