Consumers Ok GM Apples If Labeled Environmentally Friendly

Consumers would pay more for locally grown apples than genetically modified counterparts. But GM apples became acceptable when consumers are informed that they "reduced environmental impact". Respondents in a study conducted by University of Illinois economist Michael Mazzocco and Augustana College's Nadia Novotorova were more accepting of GM apples if they were not equated with "interference with nature" but rather with beneficial attributes.

The research highlighted the fact that consumers were not just buying a product but also its attributes, whether it concerns nutrition, taste or environmental impact. Hence, labels matter and that it is important to communicate consumer benefits and not just the process.

View the Examiner feature article at http://www.examiner.com/x-9392-Milwaukee-Sustainable-Food-Examiner~y2009m12d31-Apples-to-apples-GMOs-labeled-environmentally-friendly-gained-consumer-favor