Abstract
Widespread consumer resistance towards genetically modified (GM), particularly as expressed in the news media, has led to slow adoption of this technology outside of North America.
Much of the resistance appears to stem from public perceptions that GM crops benefit large multinational corporations, food producers, and typically have no apparent consumer benefits.
In order to test whether clearly defined consumer benefits would change consumer preferences, a purchasing experiment has been conducted in New Zealand where the GM issue has been highly politicized, with cherries labelled as spray free-GM, organic or conventional. These were offered for sale in a roadside stall, with price levels manipulated to test price sensitivity of the different options.
Approximately 27 percent of consumers proved willing to purchase GM labelled cherries at the prevailing market price and this percentage increased as the price dropped.