Consumer knowledge about food production systems and their purchasing behavior

Food purchasing behaviors are influenced by a range of factors, including health and the environmental impact of unique food production systems. There is ambiguity about the exact long-term large-scale impact of systems utilizing organic methods, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and conventional farming methods. There is a great deal of variance in consumer knowledge because of this ambiguity. This study aimed to assess consumers’ familiarity with these food production systems, to understand the perceived environmental impact of each, and to assess how different perceptions impact food purchasing. A survey administered to 123 New Jersey residents revealed large levels of uncertainty about perceived environmental impact of conventional foods (26.0%) and GMOs (26.8%), with a smaller number of people expressing uncertainty about organic food impact (14.6%). Consumers who believed organic food was beneficial allowed these beliefs to impact purchasing more often than those who were unsure (H(3) = 21.417, p < 0.01). Similarly, those who believed GMOs were harmful to the environment allowed this belief to impact purchasing more than those who believed they have a beneficial effect (p < 0.05), believe they have no effect (p < 0.01), or are unsure of the effect (H(3) = 37.476, p < 0.01). Overall, beliefs about organic food production impacted purchasing more frequently than beliefs about GMO food production (p < 0.01). These findings indicate a need for greater consumer education to eliminate uncertainty, as strong beliefs about environmental impact may have the ability to influence consumer purchasing decisions.