9-Misc: Australian study on consumers' attitudes towards GE food

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------------------------------- GENET-news -------------------------------

TITLE:  What consumers say about genetically modified food is not always
        how consumers actually behave
SOURCE: Biotechnology Australia, Media Release 05/427
        http://www.biotechnology.gov.au/index.cfm?
event=object.showContent&objectID=B652758B-A8C7-83BF-2CBF41D40A7B7C20
DATE:   23 Nov 2005

------------------ archive:  http://www.genet-info.org/ ------------------


What consumers say about genetically modified food is not always how
consumers actually behave

Australian Government agency Biotechnology Australia has today released
the report What you really need to know about what the public really
thinks about GM foods aimed at increasing understanding of consumers'
complex attitudes towards genetically modified (GM) crops and food.

Speaking at the AusBiotech Conference in Perth today, Manager of Public
Awareness for Biotechnology Australia, Mr Craig Cormick, said, "Many
consumer attitude studies have been conducted that provide a simple
understanding of public attitudes, such as the general question 'will you
eat GM foods', but the reality of public attitudes has been found to be
more complex."

"Industry needs to gain a better understanding of consumer attitudes if
it is to find a closer alignment between GM products that might be
produced and consumer needs,."

"All too often decisions relating to GM food and crops are based on
perceptions of public perceptions, rather than a solid understanding of
what public perceptions actually are," Mr Cormick added.

A recent study, undertaken by Eureka Strategic Research for Biotechnology
Australia, highlighted the fact that consumer attitudes are complex. For
example, the study found there are many variables that can change a
person's attitude towards GM foods, such as the type of food being
produced, its price and whether the genetic modification involves
inserting a gene from a different species or animal.

"It is also important to understand that attitudes seek affirmation, so
people will commonly seek out data that supports an existing attitude,
dismissing or denigrating any data that is contrary to a set attitude,"
Mr Cormick said.

The five key findings of the Report are:

i 	What consumers say in surveys is not always how consumers actually behave;

ii 	General attitudes towards foods are amongst the biggest predictor of
attitudes towards GM foods;

iii 	As a relative concern, GM food concerns are comparable to concerns
about artificial preservatives;

iv 	There is a poor understanding of what genetically modified actually
means, and what foods are genetically modified, with wide belief that
many fruits and vegetables in supermarkets in Australia may be GM;

v 	Attitudes to GM foods are also influenced by a hierarchy of values; and

vi 	GM foods have become a focus for various ideologies.

The report "What you really need to know about what the public really
thinks about GM foods" can be accessed at http://
www.biotechnology.gov.au/papersandpresentations. The Eureka Strategic
Research report Public Awareness Research 2005: GM Food and Non-Food
Products, can be accessed at http://www.biotechnology.gov.au/reports.


For further information, contact:
Craig Cormick, Manager of Public Awareness
Biotechnology Australia
0418-963 914
CMR05-427




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