Consumers and genetically modified foods: attitudes, willingness to purchase, and necessity of product labeling
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Introduction of genetically modified foods could be a potential solution for poor nutrition and poor health. The purpose of this study was to determine the consumers' attitudes toward and willingness to purchase genetically modified foods (GMFs), and their opinion about the necessity of labeling these products.
Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the attitudes toward, the willingness to purchase, and the necessity of labeling GMFs among 203 employees of the medical university (mean age: 39.98 years old), consisting of 126 females (62.1%) and 77 males (37.9%), using a validated questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were examined by an expert panel and the test-retest method. Data analysis was performed by SPSS.
Results: The results of this study showed that 11.3% of the participants had a positive, and 37.9% had a negative attitude toward GMFs. Out of all the participants, 81.7% completely agreed on the labeling of GMFs, 13.3% tended to buy these products, and 49.3% were unwilling to purchase these foods. There was a significant relationship between gender, attitudes (p= 0.005), and the necessity of labeling (p= 0.050). A significant difference was observed between the history of food intolerance and the necessity of labeling (p= 0.040). Also, there was a significant relationship between the attitudes and the willingness to buy genetically modified products (p< 0.001, R= 0.368).
Conclusion: The participants in this study were observed to have a low willingness to buy genetically modified products. Therefore, if the individuals' awareness of the benefits of GMFs is increased, they will show a tendency for purchasing these products.
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| Issue | Vol 6, No 1 (Winter 2020) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Keywords: Attitude, Willingness to purchase, Necessity of labeling, Genetically modified foods | ||
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