Consumers’ evaluation of biotechnologically modified food products: new evidence from a meta-survey

Biotechnological modification of food products is still controversial, and the conditions in which consumers accept biotechnological modification of food products are not yet well understood. Therefore, 1,713 original questions posed to respondents in 214 different studies were meta-analysed. The results showed that questions with positive (negative) connotations about biotechnology tended to be associated with positive (negative) measures of evaluation. Studies in the European Union (EU) asked more often about perceived riskiness than studies in other countries. When this was controlled for, EU consumers appeared no more adverse to biotechnological modification than other consumers. Consumer evaluations were largely insensitive to the type of food product. Price discounts, increased production and various perceived risks induced negative evaluation.