Whether General Mills’s announcement that its iconic Cheerios will no longer contain “genetically modified” ingredients – or one of countless blog posts devoted to food politics, Genetically Modified Organisms is big news. Information and misinformation from both proponents and opponents abound. Charleston|Orwig wondered what really resonates with consumers, so we commissioned special research to find out what they think and understand about GMOs.
Our survey of more than 1,000 consumers was conducted by leading food industry research firm Datassential and included only respondents who indicated some level of awareness of GMOs.
Key insights:
- Consumers representing all levels of understanding of GMOs (60 percent) want to know how GMOs impact theirs and their family’s health.
- Forty percent want to hear about the benefits of GMOs.
- The presence of GMOs in food and beverages is underestimated. Consumers say about 30 percent to 50 percent of the products they consume contain GMOs, far below widely accepted industry estimates of 70 percent to 90 percent.
A significant finding was that older millennial males (ages 26-34) believe they have “very in-depth understanding” of GMOs. These men tend to be fathers, with 49 percent reporting children under age 6.
Engaging with this group may present a challenge for the food industry. The 13 percent of consumers who report “very in-depth understanding” of GMOs are least likely to be interested in GMOs benefits and most likely to perceive disadvantages.
What about other consumers? What are the GMO perceptions among consumers with higher- and lower-incomes? Stay tuned! We’ll be sharing more insights soon. In the meantime, see a snapshot of research highlights here.
