Different shades of displeasure: When fear and anger lead to opposite consumer responses to GM foods

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the differential consequences of fear and anger for consumers’ responses to genetically modified (GM) foods, and to identify substantive concerns that differentiate consumers’ negative emotional responses into fear and anger in the GM food context.

Design/methodology/approach

With survey data obtained from university students (n=267), structural equation modeling is used to assess relationships between four types of consumer concerns about the genetic modification of food, fear and anger, and two types of consumer responses to GM food products.

Findings

Intentions to make complaints about GM foods are increased by anger, but reduced by fear. Readiness to use GM foods is reduced by fear, but not by anger. Fear is strengthened by health-related concerns, while anger is strengthened by market-related concerns associated with the genetic modification of food.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the findings is limited by the student sample. The study confirms the applicability of cognitive appraisal theories of emotion in the context of GM food consumption. The findings help GM food marketers and societal opinion influencers to identify consumers’ concerns that need to be addressed to manage consumers’ antagonistic or avoiding emotion-driven responses to GM foods.

Originality/value

This study is the first to show that discrete emotions of the same negative valence have distinct effects on consumer acceptance of GM foods, and to distinguish substantive concerns that in particular foster fear and anger in the GM food context.

Citation

Immonen, A.-M. and Luomala, H.T. (2017), "Different shades of displeasure: When fear and anger lead to opposite consumer responses to GM foods", British Food Journal, Vol. 119 No. 12, pp. 2740-2752. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-08-2016-0374