This paper examines some of the food scares that have occurred during the past forty years. It looks at why food scares have become increasingly common, and why some countries are particularly affected. It then considers food buyers' attitudes towards food safety, environmental issues, animal welfare, organic foods and genetically modified foods, and the impact that those attitudes have had on food choice. It finishes with some thoughts on how food labelling and WTO measures could change in the future.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
DittusK.M. and HillersN., ‘Consumer trust and behavior related to pesticides’, Food Technology, Vol 47, No 11, 1993, pp 87–89.
2.
HobanT.J., ‘Consumer acceptance of biotechnology: An international perspective’, Nature Biotechnology, Vol 15, 1997, pp 232–234.
3.
GunterG. and FurnhamA., Consumer Profiles — an Introduction to Psychographics, Routledge, London, 1992, p 57.
4.
HomerP.M. and KahleL.R., ‘A structural equation test of the value-attitude-behavior hierarchy’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 54, 1988, pp 638–646.
5.
SchiffersteinH.N.J. and OphuisOude P.A.M., ‘Health-related determinants of organic food consumption in the Netherlands’, Food Quality and Preference, Vol 9, 1998, pp 119–133.
6.
Ibid.
7.
TitheringtonA.J.DaviesC.A. and CochraneA.C., ‘Forty shades of green: A classification of green consumerism in Northern Ireland’, Journal of Euro-marketing, Vol 5, No 3, 1996, pp 43–63.
8.
JollyD.A.SchutzH.G.Diaz-KnaufK.V. and JohalJ., ‘Organic foods: Consumer attitudes and use’, Food Technology, Vol 43, No 11, 1989, pp 60–66.
9.
Titherington, op cit, Ref 7.
10.
TregearA.DentJ.B. and McGregorM.J., ‘The demand for organically-grown produce’, British Food Journal, Vol 96, 1994, pp 21–25.
11.
CowleyG. and KingP., ‘One man's meat. Should you eat and diet according to your blood group or body type? Or is this a new type of nonsense?’Newsweek, Vol 129, No 14, 1997, pp 75,77.
12.
GregoryN.G., ‘Meat, meat eating and vegetarianism — a review of the facts’, Proceedings of the 43rd ICoMST, Auckland, 1997, pp 68–85.
13.
WandelM. and BuggeA., ‘Environmental concern in consumer evaluation of food’, Food Quality and Preference, Vol 8, 1997, pp 19–26.
14.
OphuisOude P.A.M., ‘Sensory evaluation of free range and regular pork meat under different conditions of experience and awareness’, Food Quality and Preference, Vol 5, pp 173–178.
15.
SuttonR.A. and Al-KhatibJ., ‘Cross-national comparisons of consumers' environmental concerns’, Journal of Euro-marketing, Vol 4, 1994, pp 45–62; Titherington, op cit, Ref 7.
16.
GregoryN.G., ‘Look at it this way — the politics of animal welfare, then and now’, Outlook on Agriculture, Vol 28, No 1, 1999, pp 17–18.
17.
DunlapR.E. and MertigA.G., ‘Global concern for the environment: Is affluence a prerequisite?’Journal of Social Issues, Vol 51, No 4, 1995, pp 121–137.
18.
DunlapR.E., ‘International opinion at the century's end: Public attitudes toward environmental issues’, in CaldwellL.K. and BartlettR.V., eds, Environmental Policy. Transnational Issues and National Trends, Quorum Books, Westport, CT, 1997, pp 201–224.
19.
MainieriT.BarnettEGValderoT.R.UnipanJ.B. and OskampS., ‘Green buying: The influence of environmental concern on consumer behavior’, Journal of Social Psychology, Vol 137, 1997, pp 189–204.
20.
BoltonD.J.ByrneC.M.SheridanJ.J.McDowellD.A. and BlairI.S., ‘The survival characteristics of a non-toxigenic strain of Escherichia coli O157:H7’, Journal of Applied Microbiology, Vol 86, 1999, pp 407–411.
21.
MacerD.R.J., Attitudes to Genetic Engineering: Japanese and International Comparisons, Eubios Ethics Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1992.
22.
FrewerL.J.HowardC. and ShepherdR., ‘The influence of realistic product exposure on attitudes towards genetic engineering of food’, Food Quality and Preference, Vol 7, 1996, pp 61–67.
23.
GregoryN.G., ‘How EU animal welfare regulations affect Australian exporters’, Meat Focus International, Vol 4, 1995, pp 504–508.
24.
BudianskyS., Nature's Keepers: The New Science of Nature Management, Phoenix Giant, London, 1995.
