Attitudes towards the use of GMOs in food production and their impact on buying intention: The role of positive sensory experience

Klaus G. Grunert, Tino Bech-Larsen, Liisa Lähteenmäki, Øydis Ueland and Annika Åström
Additional contact information
Klaus G. Grunert: MAPP, Centre for Research on Customer Relations in the Food Sector, Aarhus School of Business, Haslegaardsvej 10, DK-8210 Aarhus V, Denmark. E-mail: klg@asb.dk, Postal: MAPP, Centre for Research on Customer Relations in the Food Sector, Aarhus School of Business, Haslegaardsvej 10, DK-8210 Aarhus V, Denmark. E-mail: klg@asb.dk
Tino Bech-Larsen: MAPP, Centre for Research on Customer Relations in the Food Sector, Aarhus School of Business, Haslegaardsvej 10, DK-8210 Aarhus V, Denmark. E-mail: klg@asb.dk, Postal: MAPP, Centre for Research on Customer Relations in the Food Sector, Aarhus School of Business, Haslegaardsvej 10, DK-8210 Aarhus V, Denmark. E-mail: klg@asb.dk
Liisa Lähteenmäki: VTT Biotechnology and Food Research, PO Box 1500, FIN-02044 VTT, Finland. E-mail: Liisa.Lahteenmaki@vvt.fi, Postal: VTT Biotechnology and Food Research, PO Box 1500, FIN-02044 VTT, Finland. E-mail: Liisa.Lahteenmaki@vvt.fi
Øydis Ueland: MATFORSK, Osloveien 1, N-1430 Ås, Norway., E-mail: oydis.ueland@matforsk.no, Postal: MATFORSK, Osloveien 1, N-1430 Ås, Norway., E-mail: oydis.ueland@matforsk.no
Annika Åström: SiK, Inst. för livsmedel och bioteknik, Box 5401, S-40229 Gothenburg, Sweden. E-mail: ana@sik.se, Postal: SiK, Inst. för livsmedel och bioteknik, Box 5401, S-40229 Gothenburg, Sweden. E-mail: ana@sik.se

Agribusiness, 2004, vol. 20, issue 1, 95-107

Abstract: European consumers are skeptical towards genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food production, and their willingness to buy such products is low. Previous research also shows that these attitudes are quite resistant to attempts to change them by giving additional information. The aim of the study was to investigate if positive sensory experience with a (purportedly) GMO-based food product would influence consumers' attitude towards the use of GMOs in food production. An experiment was conducted in which subjects in the experimental group tasted cheeses, one of which was labeled as “produced using GMOs.” The cheeses were selected in a way that ensured that the subject had a sensory preference for the GMO cheese. A control group tasted cheeses that were unlabelled. After the tasting, subjects completed a conjoint analysis task about cheese, in which the type of starter culture used (GMO|conventional) was one of the attributes. Subjects also were administered a set of items measuring attitude towards the use of GMOs in food production. Results showed that for subjects in the experimental group (who believed that they had tasted a GMO cheese, with which they had a positive sensory experience) (1) attitude towards GMO in food production was less negative, and (2) type of starter culture used (GM|conventional) had less impact on their buying intentions with regard to cheese than for subjects in the control group. [EconLit citations: L660, M310, Q130]. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 20: 95-107, 2004.

Date: 2004
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:agribz:v:20:y:2004:i:1:p:95-107

DOI: 10.1002/agr.10086

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