A new survey has revealed that 42 per cent of shoppers believe pesticides are essential to protect crops and 35 per cent think GM foods should be offered for sale in the UK.
The research, which was conducted among a representative cross-section of over 1,000 shoppers, was carried out by Network Research for the Crop Protection Association. It also found that rising prices are driving a significant shift in attitudes and purchasing behaviour. Most believe the era of cheap food has come to an end and 78 per cent are targeting special offers to keep their costs down. A greater proportion are also buying supermarkets’ value lines than 12 months ago.
The Soil Association's policy director Peter Melchett said: "It’s reassuring to see that ‘most shoppers agree that the era of cheap food has come to an end, and want the UK to become more self-sufficient in food production'. And if the nearly one in five consumers who don't think organic is 'too expensive' buy organic, sales would increase from around four per cent to nearly a staggering 20 per cent.
"This survey shows, as others have recently, that an overwhelming majority of people still oppose GM foods (65 per cent), and that is true even if they deliver 'lower prices, nutrition and environmental safety', which they don't. Other surveys show opposition to GM food in Europe is actually growing.
"According to the pesticides industry, an astonishing two thirds of shoppers apparently do not have 'confidence in the current controls and use of pesticides in UK food production', and nearly 60 per cent don't think pesticides are necessary.
"This is a huge vote of no confidence in the CPA's world vision - despite years of PR, consumers don't have confidence in GM and don't trust pesticide regulation."
No comments yet