Is dread of Genetically Modified food associated with the consumers’ demand for information?

Abstract

We argue that the dread of Genetically Modified (GM) food is an expression of the individual's demand for information as a self-protective action. This study empirically examines the determinants of the demand for information on Genetically Modified Food and tests whether this demand is jointly determined with the individual's dread of GM food. A UK representative sample of the 1999 Eurobarometer Survey is employed and the study undertakes multivariate analysis of information-related survey responses. The results provide some evidence for the hypothesis that demand for information stands as a self-protective attitude that occurs in the absence of information. Furthermore, knowledge of science and information channels are both associated with a larger demand for information and lower dread of GM food.

Acknowledgements

We are thankful for the comments from Marin Gemmill, Anna Maresso, Jose Leal, Sarah Wandsworth and participants in the Economics of Genetics Workshop, 20–21st April 2004, Oxford University.

Notes

¹ Evidence shows that several incentives influence the interest and the demand for information on GM food, such as, living near sites where GM food had been released (Martin and Tain, 1992).

³ The sampling is based on a random selection of sampling points after stratification by the distribution of the national, resident population in terms of metropolitan, urban and rural areas, i.e. proportional to the population size (for a total coverage of the country) and to the population density. These primary sampling units (PSU) are selected from each of the administrative regions in every country. In the second stage, a cluster of addresses is selected from each sampled PSU. Addresses are chosen systematically using standard random route procedures, beginning with an initial address selected at random. In the UK, respondents are randomly selected from electoral registers.

² The Eurobarometer survey series are cross-national social research tools designed by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research to provide regular monitoring of the social and political attitudes in the EU through specific trend questions. Caveats (Schmitt and Holmberg, 1995; Inglehart, 1990) refer to the sampling procedure and the difficulties associated with measuring income and education among EU member states.