Who do UK consumers trust for information about nanotechnology?

Citation

Erdem S (2018) Who do UK consumers trust for information about nanotechnology?. Food Policy, 77, pp. 133-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2018.04.008

Abstract
This paper investigates UK consumers’ trust in sixteen information sources, from government institutions to food handlers and media, to provide accurate information about the use of nanotechnology in food production and packaging. We elicit the perceived trust using a well-known choice-based stated preference technique, namely best-worst scaling. The results from the analysis of a scale-adjusted latent class model show considerable heterogeneity in consumers’ perceptions of trust and choice variability. The findings from this study provide insights into the development of best practices and policies in risk communication and management for novel foods produced by nanotechnologies. More specifically, they highlight how targeted approaches can be used by policymakers responsible for disseminating information relating to novel technologies.

Keywords
Best-worst scaling; Scale adjusted latent class model; Choice variability; Trust; Nanotechnology

Journal
Food Policy: Volume 77

People

Professor Seda Erdem

Professor, Economics