European Consumers Not Tempted to GM Food
European consumers would reject GM food even if there were benefits to it over and above ordinary food. This is a key
conclusion from the latest official survey for the European Commission.
The Eurobarometer survey first reinforces past findings. "A majority of Europeans do not support GM foods. These are
judged not to be useful and to be risky for society" the survey reported.
However, consumers across all European Union states were further asked whether they would purchase GM foods if one of
five possible benefits also resulted. The survey stressed that these were "hypothetical" questions but asked whether
consumers would buy GM food if it was cheaper, tasted better, contained less pesticide residue, was more environmentally
friendly, or contained less fat.
"For all of the hypothetical situations there are more Europeans saying they would not buy or eat GM foods than those
saying they would" the survey reported. It observed that "Lower price is apparently the least incentive for buying GM
foods".
"These findings will be a blow to GM seed developers. They are very much hoping that if new GM varieties were to offer
benefits to consumers that resistance to GM food would fall away" said Sustainability Council Executive Director, Simon
Terry.
"This survey does not support that assumption."
"Europe is still our biggest export market, especially for fresh produce. These findings reinforce what a huge economic
risk New Zealand runs if it allows for the commercial release of GMOs" he said. "New Zealand should retain its status as
a GM Free food producer at least until there is market acceptance of GM."
"Consumer rejection of GM food is driving six European countries to hold back moves to end the de facto moratorium on GM
release that has been in place since 1998. As a minimum, they want a series of backstops in place including strong laws
for liability, labelling and traceability of GM".
"New Zealand should also have these backstop protections, but the proposed liability laws are weak by comparison to
those developed for the EU and traceability rules have not even been proposed for New Zealand."
"New Zealand's status as a GM Free food producer is a an integral part of the nation's clean green brand. To think of
giving that up before all New Zealand's major export markets show acceptance of GM food would be a strategic blunder."
The Eurobarometer report is just one of a series of surveys and market reports that have consistently documented strong
European consumer concerns. Sources that do forecast a turnaround in attitudes say that this would not be for five to
ten years at the earliest.