A new survey by the research company found that young Canadians aged 18 to 34 are willing to pay a premium for food that is organic or free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). .
Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 41 percent said they would not pay more for organic food. That proportion rises to 57 percent among those 55 and older, but drops to 41 percent among 35- to 54-year-olds. Only a quarter (23 percent) of 18- to 34-year-olds said they would not pay. More for organic food, according to survey.
The survey found similar results for non-GMO food, with 31 percent of people not willing to pay a premium for GMO-free food. The proportion is highest among those 55 and older (38 percent), similar among 35- to 54-year-olds (31 percent), and lowest among 18- to 34-year-olds (22 percent).
According to the research company, more than a third of Canadians would not be willing to pay extra for food from a company that guarantees a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to those 35 to 54 (38 percent) and 18 to 34 (23 percent) would not consider paying a premium.
“More than two in five residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (42 per cent), Atlantic Canada (41 per cent) and Alberta (41 per cent) are not impressed with food producers guaranteeing lower greenhouse gas emissions than their competitors. shall be.” Mario Canseco, president of the research company, said in a May 17 news release. “The proportion is lower in British Columbia (37 per cent), Ontario (35 per cent) and Quebec (28 per cent).
When asked about climate change, 79 percent of Canadians agreed that it threatens the world’s food supply, 76 percent said they feel climate change is a threat to Canada’s food supply and 73 percent said the same about their province.
The survey also found that 33 percent of Canadians frequently check food labels to determine their country or province of origin. About 24 percent check labels to see if products are organic while 23 percent do so to verify if they are non-GMO.
The research company says 61 per cent of Canadians believe the agriculture sector is “definitely” or “probably” taking steps to reduce its environmental impact, while 60 per cent say the forestry sector is. is doing the same, while the perception is less for the natural environment. gas (47 percent) and mining (42 percent) industries.
Procedures:
The findings are based on an online study of 1,000 adults in Canada conducted from May 4 to May 6, 2023. The data are weighted according to Canadian census data for age, sex, and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Reporting of this story was paid for by the META Fund through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project.