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Genetically Modified Food Market Participation and Consumer Risk Perceptions: A Cross‐Country Comparison

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  • Kynda R. Curtis
  • Klaus Moeltner

Abstract

As developing nations look to become more competitive in world agricultural markets, genetically modified (GM) crops are one avenue of pursuit. However, fears of primary export market loss, negative media attention, and adverse government regulations often hinder GM crop implementation and increase GM food risk perceptions among domestic consumers. In this study we analyze consumer surveys of GM food purchase propensity conducted in the developing countries of Romania and China. Through the examination of marginal effects and the drivers of purchase propensity, we find that in spite of demographic and psychographic similarities, consumer willingness to purchase GM foods is quite different between the two samples. Consumer preferences are largely dependent on risk perceptions, which are high in the Romanian sample, but low in the Chinese sample. Additionally, the effect of regressors on GM purchase propensity is invariant across foods in Romania, but distinctly different across foods in China, possibly due to the stated nutritional enhancement (vitamin A) in GM rice. Comme les pays en développement cherchent à devenir plus concurrentiels sur les marchés agricoles mondiaux, les cultures génétiquement modifiées (CGM) constituent une avenue. Cependant, la crainte de perdre les principaux marchés d'exportation, l'attention médiatique négative et les règlements gouvernementaux défavorables retardent souvent l'ensemencement de CGM et augmentent la perception des risques liés aux aliments génétiquement modifiés (AGM) chez les consommateurs nationaux. Dans la présente étude, nous avons analysé des enquêtes auprès des consommateurs sur la propension à acheter des AGM dans les pays en développement, notamment la Roumanie et la Chine. En examinant les effets marginaux et les facteurs de propension à acheter, nous avons trouvé que, malgré des similarités démographiques et psychographiques, la volonté des consommateurs à acheter des AGM variait considérablement dans les deux échantillons. Les préférences des consommateurs dépendent grandement de la perception des risques, qui était élevée dans l'échantillon de la Roumanie et faible dans l'échantillon de la Chine. De plus, l'effet des variables indépendantes sur la propension à acheter des AGM était invariant pour tous les aliments en Roumanie, mais distinctement différent entre les aliments en Chine, probablement en raison de l'enrichissement nutritionnel déclaré (vitamine A) du riz génétiquement modifié.

Suggested Citation

  • Kynda R. Curtis & Klaus Moeltner, 2006. "Genetically Modified Food Market Participation and Consumer Risk Perceptions: A Cross‐Country Comparison," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 54(2), pages 289-310, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:canjag:v:54:y:2006:i:2:p:289-310
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7976.2006.00050.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Paarlberg, Robert L., 2000. "Governing the GM crop revolution: policy choices for developing countries," 2020 vision discussion papers 33, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Curtis, Kynda R. & McCluskey, Jill J. & Wahl, Thomas I., 2007. "Consumer preferences for western-style convenience foods in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 1-14.
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    1. Moeltner, Klaus & Neill, Clinton L. & Ramsey, Austin F. & Wang, Huaiyu, 2023. "Eliciting Choice Across Borders: Preferences for U.S. Rice Among Ethnic Chinese in China and the United States," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335680, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Simon Chege Kimenju & Hugo De Groote, 2008. "Consumer willingness to pay for genetically modified food in Kenya," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 38(1), pages 35-46, January.
    3. Van Acker, Rene & Cici, S. Zahra H. & Lohuis, Michael & Ryan, Camille & Sachs, Eric, 2015. "Gaining Societal Acceptance of Biotechnology: The Case for Societal Engagement," GMCC-15: Seventh GMCC, November 17-20, 2015, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 211639, International Conference on Coexistence between Genetically Modified (GM) and non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chains (GMCC).
    4. Changxin Yu & Haiyan Deng & Ruifa Hu, 2019. "Attitude Gaps with Respect to GM Non-Food Crops and GM Food Crops and Confidence in the Government’s Management of Biotechnology: Evidence from Beijing Consumers, Chinese Farmers, Journalists, and Gov," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, December.
    5. Rodríguez-Entrena, Macario & Salazar-Ordóñez, Melania & Sayadi, Samir, 2013. "Applying partial least squares to model genetically modified food purchase intentions in southern Spain consumers," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 44-53.

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