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International Food Information Council
"U.S. Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Biotechnology"
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Wirthlin Group Quorum Surveys
October 8-12, 1999, February 5-8, 1999, March 21-24, 1997,
May 5-9 2000, and January 19-21, 2001
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Method
Approximately 1000 telephone interviews were conducted in March 1997, February 1999, October 1999, May 2000, and January 2001, among a national probability sample of adults 18 and older (stratified by state) in the continental United States. The range of error for a sample size of 1000 is +/- 3% at the 95% confidence level.
1. Think about your diet over the past few months, are there any foods or ingredients that you have avoided or eaten less of?
(New question in 2001)
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Jan. 2001
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Yes
No
Don?t Know/ Refused
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54%
46%
-
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1. a. And what foods or ingredients did you avoid or eat less of? (n=542) (Percentages do not add up to 100% because multiple responses were allowed.)
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Jan. 2001 |
Fats/cholesterol
Carbohydrates
Animal products
Spices/spicy food
Other
Caffeine/soda
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41%
31%
28%
11%
9%
8%
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2. Can you think of any information that is not currently included on food labels that you would like to see on food labels? And what types of information would that be?
(New question in 2001)
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Jan. 2001
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Yes
Ingredients (ie fats, salt)
Other
Genetically altered
No
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26%
13%
11%
2%
74%
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3. What, if anything are you concerned about when it comes to food safety? (Percentages do not add up to 100% because multiple responses were allowed.)
(New question in 2001)
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Jan. 2001 |
Packaging
Food Handling/ Preparation
Other
Disease/ Contamination
Chemicals/ Pesticides in Food
Altered/Engineered Food
Nothing
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27%
23%
23%
16%
10%
2%
9%
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4. As you may know, some food products and medicines are being developed with the help of new scientific techniques. The general area is called "biotechnology" and includes tools such as genetic engineering. Biotechnology is also being used to improve crop plants. How much have you heard or read about biotechnology? Would you say you have read or heard . . . ?
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1997
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Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001
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|
Total read or heard
|
79% |
69% |
73% |
79% |
77% |
| A lot |
11% |
7% |
13% |
14% |
15% |
Some |
35% |
26% |
24% |
31% |
32% |
A little |
32% |
36% |
36% |
34% |
31% |
| Nothing at all |
21% |
31% |
27% |
21% |
22% |
| Don?t know/refused |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
5. Now, using a 10-point scale, how well informed would you say you are about biotechnology, if zero means you are not at all informed about biotechnology and ten means you are very well informed about biotechnology.
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Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999
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May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
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10 |
2% | 2% | 2% |
3% |
| 9 |
0% |
1% |
1% |
2% |
| 8 | 3% | 5% |
4% | 7% |
| 7 | 4% |
5% |
6% |
6% |
| 6 |
3% |
5% |
7% |
6% |
| 5 | 11% |
11% |
14% |
15% |
| 4 |
6% |
11% |
11% |
9% |
| 3 |
16% |
11% |
12% |
15% |
| 2 |
16% |
13% |
11% |
8% |
| 1 |
39% |
35% |
32% |
29% |
Don?t know/
refused |
1% |
1% |
- |
- |
6. As far as you know, are there any foods produced through biotechnology in the supermarket now?
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1997 |
Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
| Yes |
40% |
33% |
38% |
43% |
36% |
| No |
37% |
47% |
38% |
23% |
44% |
Don?t know/
refused |
23% |
20% |
24% |
34% |
20% |
6. a. If yes (360 out of 1000 respondents for Jan 2001), which foods? (Total percentages are greater than 100% because multiple answers were given.)
(New question for Feb. 1999 survey).
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Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
| Vegetables |
29% |
42% |
45% |
46% |
| Tomatoes |
20% |
27% |
21% |
14% |
| Fruits |
16% |
23% |
17% |
11% |
| Meats |
16% |
25% |
16% |
20% |
| Produce/ Processed Foods |
11% |
5% |
3% |
- |
| Milk/Dairy |
9% |
10% |
6% |
6% |
| Cereals/Grains |
8% |
6% |
7% |
13% |
| Corn |
6% |
9% |
18% |
20% |
| Lettuce |
4% |
1% |
3% |
- |
| Potatoes |
3% |
5% |
3% |
- |
| Soy |
3% |
3% |
4% |
3% |
| Cheese |
2% |
- |
- |
- |
| Yogurt |
2% |
N/A |
- |
- |
| Corn Products |
- |
- |
- |
9% |
| Taco Shells/ Tortillas |
- |
- |
- |
5% |
7. All things being equal, how likely would you be to buy a variety of produce, like tomatoes or potatoes, if it had been modified by biotechnology to taste better or fresher? Would you be very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely to buy these items?
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1997 |
Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
| Total Likely |
55% |
62% |
51% |
54% |
58% |
| Very likely |
19% |
20% |
18% |
19% |
19% |
| Somewhat likely |
36% |
42% |
33% |
36% |
39% |
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| Total Not Likely |
43% |
37% |
43% |
43% |
38% |
| Not too likely |
21% |
18% |
18% |
21% |
19% |
| Not at all likely |
22% |
19% |
25% |
22% |
19% |
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| Don?t know/refused |
2% |
1% |
6% |
2% |
4% |
8. All things being equal, how likely would you be to buy a variety of produce, like tomatoes or potatoes, if it had been modified by biotechnology to be protected from insect damage and required fewer pesticide applications? Would you be very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely to buy these items?
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1997 |
Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
| Total Likely |
77% |
77% |
67% |
69% |
70% |
| Very likely |
39% |
34% |
28% |
30% |
32% |
| Somewhat likely |
38% |
43% |
39% |
39% |
38% |
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| Total Not Likely |
23% |
21% |
27% |
28% |
27% |
| Not too likely |
11% |
11% |
11% |
14% |
14% |
| Not at all likely |
12% |
10% |
16% |
14% |
13% |
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| Don?t know/refused |
1% |
2% |
6% |
3% |
3% |
9. Biotechnology has also been used to enhance plants that yield foods like cooking oils. If cooking oil with reduced saturated fat made from these new plants was available, what effect would the use of biotechnology have on your decision to buy this cooking oil. Would this have a positive effect, a negative effect, or no effect on your purchase decision? (New question for Feb. 1999)
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Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
| Positive effect |
57% |
42% |
40% |
46% |
| Negative effect |
10% |
15% |
18% |
17% |
| No effect |
32% |
39% |
39% |
33% |
| Don?t know/refused |
1% |
4% |
3% |
4% |
10. Do you feel that biotechnology will provide benefits for you or your family within the next five years?
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1997 |
Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
| Yes |
78% |
75% |
63% |
59% |
64% |
| No |
14% |
15% |
21% |
25% |
22% |
| Don?t know/refused |
8% |
10% |
16% |
16% |
14% |
11. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires special labeling when a food is produced under certain conditions: when biotechnology?s use introduces an allergen or when it substantially changes the food?s nutritional content, like vitamins or fat, or its composition. Otherwise special labeling is not required. Would you say that you support or oppose this policy of FDA?
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1997 |
Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
| Total support |
78% |
78% |
69% |
69% |
70% |
| Strongly support |
45% |
50% |
45% |
42% |
40% |
Somewhat support |
33% |
28% |
24% |
27% |
30% |
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| Total oppose |
20% |
19% |
26% |
28% |
24% |
| Somewhat oppose |
9% |
9% |
12% |
10% |
11% |
| Strongly oppose |
11% |
10% |
14% |
18% |
13% |
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| Neither support nor oppose |
|
|
|
|
3% |
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| Don't know/refused |
2% |
3% |
5% |
3% |
3% |
12. Some critics of the U.S. FDA policy say that any food produced through biotechnology should be labeled even if the food has the same safety and nutritional content as other foods. However, others, including the FDA, believe such a labeling requirement has no scientific basis, and would be costly and confusing to consumers. Are you more likely to agree with the labeling position of the FDA or with its critics?
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1997 |
Feb. 1999 |
Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
Jan. 2001 |
| FDA |
57% |
58% |
50% |
52% |
37% |
| Critics |
40% |
37% |
45% |
43% |
58% |
| Don?t know/refused |
3% |
5% |
5% |
5% |
5% |
13. (This question was re-worded in 2001. Following is the wording and data
for each survey.)
Please tell me whether you: Strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat
disagree, strongly disagree, don't know about the following statement.
(1997-2000) Simply labeling products as containing biotech ingredients does
not provide enough information for consumers. It would be better for food
manufacturers, the government, health professionals and others to provide
more details through toll-free numbers, brochures and Web sites.
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Oct. 1999 |
May 2000 |
| Total Agree |
81% |
86% |
| Strongly agree |
51% |
55% |
| Somewhat agree |
30% |
31% |
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| Total Disagree |
12% |
12% |
| Somewhat disagree |
7% |
7% |
| Strongly disagree |
5% |
5% |
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| Don't know/refused |
7% |
2% |
(2001) Simply labeling products as containing biotech ingredients does not
provide enough information for consumers. Instead of labeling biotechnology
ingredients, it would be better for food manufacturers, the government,
health professionals and others to provide more details through toll-free
phone numbers, brochures and web sites.
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Jan. 2001 |
| Total Agree |
75% |
| Strongly agree |
41% |
| Somewhat agree |
34% |
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| Total Disagree |
21% |
| Somewhat disagree |
11% |
| Strongly disagree |
10% |
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| Don't know/refused |
4% |
14. During the past few months, have you taken any action or done anything because of any concerns you may have about foods produced using biotechnology?
(New question in 2001)
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Jan. 2001 |
| Yes |
5% |
| No |
95% |
| Don?t know/ refused |
- |
15. Have you heard or read anything regarding a recall of food products that contain ingredients produced through biotechnology?
(New question in 2001)
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Jan. 2001 |
| Yes |
24% |
| No |
73% |
| Don?t know/refused |
3% |
16. How much have you read or heard regarding a recall of StarLink corn products that were produced using biotechnology? Would you say you have heard?
(New question in 2001)
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Jan. 2001 |
| Total heard or read |
47% |
| A lot |
9% |
| Some |
16% |
| A Little |
22% |
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| Nothing at all |
53% |
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