Biotech Updates

Consumer Attitude toward GM Foods in South Korea

May 11, 2012

Renee Kim from Hanyang University in South Korea published a paper about a survey on the attitude of South Korean consumers towards GM foods. Kim used a quantitative model that identifies the major determinants of consumers' choice behavior for GM foods.

Survey results showed that the consumers' socio-economic status and their perception on the benefits of GM foods were strong indicators of consumers' GM food purchase intention. Favorable attributes to GM food like nutritional enhancement were found to have significant influence on consumers' attitude toward GM food positively. On the other hand, perceived risk of GM food, uncertainty/ lack of understanding on GM food and potential environmental hazard of GM food were found to affect consumers' attitude toward GM food negatively. Thus, it is recommended in the paper that educating consumers about GM food could be an effective way to eliminate their concerns about GM foods.

Read more about the results of the survey at http://www.chemtech.ktu.lt/index.php/EE/article/viewFile/1548/1392.