New Consumer Survey: Americans Support FDA’s Voluntary Labeling Policy for GMOs

03 Jun 2014 --- Despite extensive media coverage of activist efforts to impose controversial state-based labeling laws for GM foods, a new consumer survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation finds that a majority of Americans support the FDA’s current voluntary labeling policy for foods containing GM ingredients. The survey also reveals positive perceptions of GM foods that offer nutritional benefits, and continued overall confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply.

“Despite an ongoing campaign by supporters of mandatory GMO labeling to scare and mislead consumers about the safety and benefits of GM technology, the vast majority of Americans still have no concerns about the role of GMOs in our food,” said Claire Parker, spokeswoman for the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food. “Here in the US, we base our food labeling requirements on science, not fear or political campaigns. This is just further proof that such policies are well accepted and are the best path forward to guarantee safe, affordable food for all Americans.”

According to the new survey released this week, 63 percent of Americans endorse the FDA’s current voluntary policy for labeling GM foods—a number that is consistent with this survey’s findings in previous years.

At the same time, only one percent of respondents said that biotechnology is something they avoid in their food. And only 4 percent named biotech as something they want information about on their food labels.

IFIC also found that health benefits of GM foods resonate strongly with American consumers, with large majorities of consumers saying they are likely to purchase GM foods that confer nutritional benefits (67 percent), contain more healthy fats (72 percent), or reduce potential for carcinogens (69 percent).

Even as modern agricultural practices have been maligned by a noisy minority, most Americans have favorable perceptions of modern agriculture, with 74 percent viewing it as sustainable and 71 percent saying it produces nutritional food.

Finally, the survey finds that overall confidence in the U.S. food supply remains high at 67 percent, on par with previous years’ findings.

The survey was conducted between March 28 and April 7 and included 1000 participants.