IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jcopol/v29y2006i2p203-228.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

If we label it, will they care? The effect of GM-ingredient labelling on consumer responses

Author

Listed:
  • Louise Heslop

Abstract

More than 60% of foods in North American supermarkets contain GM ingredients. While North American consumers seem less concerned about GM foods than Europeans and Japanese, many consumer activists argue that consumers have a “right to know” if what they eat has GM ingredients. Will informative labelling of GM foods lead to major shifts in buying patterns? An experimental study found minimal effects of GM labelling overall but significant differential reactions to GM-labelled products across consumers with differing levels of consumer activism, perceived benefits of genetic engineering, and interest in novel foods with consumer benefits. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006

Suggested Citation

  • Louise Heslop, 2006. "If we label it, will they care? The effect of GM-ingredient labelling on consumer responses," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 203-228, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jcopol:v:29:y:2006:i:2:p:203-228
    DOI: 10.1007/s10603-006-9000-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10603-006-9000-7
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10603-006-9000-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pauline M. Ippolito & Alan D. Mathios, 1990. "Information, Advertising and Health Choices: A Study of the Cereal Market," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 21(3), pages 459-480, Autumn.
    2. Golan, Elise H. & Kuchler, Fred & Mitchell, Lorraine, 2000. "Economics Of Food Labeling," Agricultural Economic Reports 34069, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    3. Russo, J Edward, et al, 1986. "Nutrition Information in the Supermarket," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 13(1), pages 48-70, June.
    4. Aldrich, Lorna, 1999. "Consumer Use of Information: Implications for Food Policy," Miscellaneous Publications 330083, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    5. Noussair, Charles & Robin, Stephane & Ruffieux, Bernard, 2002. "Do consumers not care about biotech foods or do they just not read the labels?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 47-53, March.
    6. Paul Sparks & Richard Shepherd & Lynn Frewer, 1994. "Gene technology, food production, and public opinion: A UK study," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 11(1), pages 19-28, December.
    7. Jill E. Hobbs & Marni D. Plunkett, 1999. "Genetically Modified Foods: Consumer Issues and the Role of Information Asymmetry," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 47(4), pages 445-455, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bremmers, Harry J., 2012. "An Integrated Analysis of Food Information to Consumers: Problems, Pitfalls, Policies and Progress," 2012 International European Forum, February 13-17, 2012, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 144985, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    2. Berning, Joshua & Campbell, Ben, 2017. "Consumer Preference and Market Simulations of Food and Non-Food GMO Introductions," 2017 Annual Meeting, February 4-7, 2017, Mobile, Alabama 252733, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    3. He, Na & Bernard, John C., 2011. "Differences in WTP and Consumer Demand for Organic and Non-GM Fresh and Processed Foods," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 40(2), pages 1-15, August.
    4. Berning, Joshua & Campbell, Benjamin L., 2021. "Market simulations of consumer preferences for the introduction of GM tomatoes," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 24(1).
    5. Bremmers, Harry J. & van der Meulen, Bernd, 2013. "Opportunities, problems and pitfalls of nutrition and health claims," APSTRACT: Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce, AGRIMBA, vol. 7(2-3), pages 1-5.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Loureiro, Maria L. & Hine, Susan, 2004. "Preferences and willingness to pay for GM labeling policies," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 467-483, October.
    2. Villas-Boas, Sofia B & Taylor, Rebecca & Krovetz, Hannah, 2016. "Willingness to Pay for Low Water Footprint Food Choices During Drought," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt9vh3x180, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    3. Gautam, Ruskin & Gustafson, Christopher R. & Brooks, Kathleen R., 2017. "Label Position and it Impacts on WTP for Products Containing GMO," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258105, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Huffman, Wallace E. & Shogren, Jason F. & Rousu, Matthew C. & Tegene, Abebayehu, 2003. "Consumer Willingness to Pay for Genetically Modified Food Labels in a Market with Diverse Information: Evidence from Experimental Auctions," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 28(3), pages 1-22, December.
    5. Mathios, Alan D., 1998. "The Importance Of Nutrition Labeling And Health Claim Regulation On Product Choice: An Analysis Of The Cooking Oils Market," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 27(2), pages 1-10, October.
    6. Kiesel Kristin & Villas-Boas Sofia B, 2007. "Got Organic Milk? Consumer Valuations of Milk Labels after the Implementation of the USDA Organic Seal," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 5(1), pages 1-40, April.
    7. Muradian, Roldan & Pelupessy, Wim, 2005. "Governing the coffee chain: The role of voluntary regulatory Systems," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(12), pages 2029-2044, December.
    8. Matsumoto Shigeru, 2004. "Consumers' Responses to Front vs. Back Package GM Labels in Japan," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-25, April.
    9. Caldeira, Monica & Sottomayor, Miguel & Souza Monteiro, Diogo M., 2011. "Portuguese Retailers’ Motivations to Adopt Front of Pack Nutrition Labels: A Qualitative Analysis," 2011 Annual Meeting, July 24-26, 2011, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 109189, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    10. Umberger, Wendy J. & Scott, Emily M. & Stringer, Randy, 2008. "Australian Consumers' Concerns and Preferences for Food Policy Alternatives," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6174, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    11. Kiesel, Kristin & Villas-Boas, Sofia B., 2013. "Can information costs affect consumer choice? Nutritional labels in a supermarket experiment," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 153-163.
    12. GianCarlo Moschini & Harun Bulut & Luigi Cembalo, 2005. "On the Segregation of Genetically Modified, Conventional and Organic Products in European Agriculture: A Multi‐market Equilibrium Analysis," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 347-372, December.
    13. Astrid Dannenberg & Sara Scatasta & Bodo Sturm, 2009. "Keine Chance für genetisch veränderte Lebensmittel in Deutschland? Eine experimentelle Analyse von Zahlungsbereitschaften," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 10(2), pages 214-234, May.
    14. Cole, Anne & Harris, Jane, 2005. "Rising interest in credence qualities in agricultural products and the role for government," 2005 Conference (49th), February 9-11, 2005, Coff's Harbour, Australia 137828, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    15. Prasad, Ashutosh & Strijnev, Andrei & Zhang, Qin, 2008. "What can grocery basket data tell us about health consciousness?," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 301-309.
    16. Huffman, Wallace E. & Rousu, Matthew C. & Shogren, Jason F. & Tegene, Abebayehu, 2002. "Should The United States Initiate A Mandatory Labeling Policy For Genetically Modified Foods?," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19857, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    17. Huffman, Wallace & Rousu, Matthew & Shogren, Jason F. & Tegene, Abebayehu, 2002. "Should the United States Regulate Mandatory Labeling for Genetically Modified Foods?," Staff General Research Papers Archive 10047, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    18. Golan, Elise H. & Kuchler, Fred & Mitchell, Lorraine, 2000. "Economics Of Food Labeling," Agricultural Economic Reports 34069, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    19. Kiesel, Kristin & Villas-Boas, Sofia B., 2009. "Can Information Costs Confuse Consumer Choice?---Nutritional Labels in a Supermarket Experiment," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt6st6d0rr, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    20. Henneberry, Shida Rastegari & Armbruster, Walter J., 2003. "Emerging Roles For Food Labels: Inform, Protect, Persuade," Journal of Food Distribution Research, Food Distribution Research Society, vol. 34(3), pages 1-8, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jcopol:v:29:y:2006:i:2:p:203-228. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.