Consumer welfare effects of introducing and labeling genetically modified food

Lusk, J. L., House, L. O., Valli, C., Jaeger, S. R., Moore, M., Morrow, B. and Traill, W. B. (2005) Consumer welfare effects of introducing and labeling genetically modified food. Economics Letters, 88 (3). pp. 382-388. ISSN 0165-1765 doi: 10.1016/j.econlet.2005.03.009

Abstract/Summary

Non-hypothetical valuations obtained from experimental auctions in three United States and two European locations were used to calculate welfare effects of introducing and labeling of genetically modified food. Under certain assumptions, we find that introduction of genetically modified food has been welfare enhancing, on average, for United States consumers but not so for Europeans and while mandatory labeling has been beneficial for European consumers, such a policy would be detrimental in the United States. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.