European Survey Shows Public Dislike for GM Food

Dolly was the first sheep clone

According to a new report by the European Commissions, EU consumers are overwhelming opposed to GM food.

The survey - which was Europe-wide - showed that 61 percent of those questioned said the development of GM food should not be encouraged; only a smaller percent, accounting for around a quarter, said they supported GM modifications to their food.

The survey revealed that EU consumers do not see the benefits of GM food, and had an ‘overall suspicion of GM foods' and that the food was ‘probably unsafe or even harmful'.

The survey highlighted that opinions were very different between varying European countries, and that although those respondents in the UK who generally accepted GM food as a sensible option were outnumbered, they represented a larger percentage than in other European countries. Within the UK, 45 percent were opposed to GM food, a stat that ranked only the Czech Republic and Iceland as countries with greater support.

The countries most opposed to GM foods were Greece (82 percent), Latvia (80 percent), and Croatia (77 percent). Germany, France and Italy all had percentages opposing GM foods ranging from 72 percent down to 64 percent.

The survey also found that Europeans are generally opposed to animal cloning, as they feel ‘uneasy' about the practice, and ‘don't see the benefits'. Only 15 percent of EU citizens feel it should be encouraged against an overwhelming 70 percent who insist it should be discouraged.

The negative attitudes towards GM food and cloning came despite overall support within the EU for biotechnology and genetic engineering in its wider applications, which also include nonotechnology and various uses in human medicine.

Related articles:

Genetically modified food around the world | Should packaging be labelled for GM ingredients? | The feed chain - Safety and Animal Welfare | Food News | Food

Like this article? Get the RSS feed: