Risk Perceptions of Urban Italian and United States Consumers for Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are defined as plant and animal products produced using scientific techniques that involve taking the genes from one plant or animal species and inserting them in another species to transfer a desired trait or characteristic. For agricultural producers, GM crops have led to reduced production costs, enhanced yields, and the potential for increased profits. Other potential benefits include reductions in pesticide and herbicide use, as well as the potential for “phase II” biotechnology that enhances nutritional value, flavor, and shelf life of foods. Despite the benefits of GM foods, consumer acceptance in the European Union (EU) has been quite limited, and although less controversial in the United States, acceptance of GM foods among some consumer and environmental groups there has been mixed. Consumers’ reluctance to embrace GM foods is related to concerns of potential long-term negative effects on wildlife and the environment or unforeseen health risks. Environmental concerns include the potential for biotech crops to interact with non-GMO plants, leading to contamination of organic crops and/or herbicide-resistant weeds. Recent food crises in Europe such as “mad cow” and “dioxin chicken” have led to heightened health and environmental concerns among EU consumers, leading to specific and stringent controls of GM products in the European Union (Soregaroli, Boccaletti, & Moro, 2003). United States regulatory policies regarding introduction and marketing of GM foods are less stringent— GMOs are regulated under special provisions under the same laws that govern conventional foods. Differences in EU and US regulatory policies are determined by numerous factors; an important factor is the public’s perceptions regarding the safety and environmental risks of GMOs. This paper compares the effects of these perceptions on the acceptance of GM foods by Italian and US consumers. Metropolitan areas of Northern Italy and the United States are similar in that they represent affluent developed economies, yet their regulatory policies for GM foods represent extreme opposites. We present evidence from surveys conducted in affluent metropolitan areas of the United States and northern Italy and analyze the effects of risk perceptions, nationality, and trust of government agencies on the willingness of consumers to accept GM foods.