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‘GMO-Free’ Labels – Enhancing Transparency or Deceiving Consumers?

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  • Henseleit, Meike
  • Kubitzki, Sabine

Abstract

Since most consumers particularly in industrialised countries are concerned about the application of genetic engineering in food production, producers in many nations got the opportunity to label products as free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by the introduction of legal regulations. Standards of these regulations for labelling food products ‘GMO-free’ usually relate to product itself, not to the process of production. Therefore, it is quite possible that consumers’ understanding of ‘GMO-free’ differs from what the label actually stands for, especially regarding animal products. We conducted a consumer survey in order to explore potential gaps between their ideas of ‘GMO-free’ food and what the label actually stands for at the example of the German regulation covering the labelling of foods as ‘GMO-free’.

Suggested Citation

  • Henseleit, Meike & Kubitzki, Sabine, 2009. "‘GMO-Free’ Labels – Enhancing Transparency or Deceiving Consumers?," 2009 Conference, August 16-22, 2009, Beijing, China 51029, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:iaae09:51029
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.51029
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    4. Hallman, William K. & Adelaja, Adesoji O. & Schilling, Brian J. & Lang, John T., 2002. "Public Perceptions Of Genetically Modified Foods: Americans Know Not What They Eat," Research Reports 18176, Rutgers University, Food Policy Institute.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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