Consumer demands for organic and genetically modified foods

Issues concerning consumer demands for genetically modified and organic food remain topical. It is unclear how consumers perceive issues associated with food production such as food safety, environmental impacts or animal welfare. It is also unclear how consumers might value potential changes in those issues in regional and metropolitan centres. This paper reports on research using the choice modelling technique to estimate and compare consumer demand for genetically modified and organic foods in Australia. The case study considers tomatoes, milk and beef commodities. The results draw comparisons between the contribution of associated factors influencing consumer purchasing decisions in a regional and metropolitan city. The results are relevant to the current policy debate regarding the introduction of GM foods