Knowledge
The second major question provided in the survey asked participants to choose between two products displaying the same image of fruits and vegetables in a paper bag (see Image 2). However, one of the paper bags had a label that read “Organic Products” (Product A), while the other read “Non-GMO Products” (Product B). The intention of this question was to test the participants' knowledge on the difference between the two terms: “organic” and “non-GMO.” As The Non-GMO Project (2024) explains it, “Organic production excludes the use of synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)” while “Non-GMO Project Verified is a single-issue certification that focuses solely on GMOs.” To sum it up, organic products are inherently non-GMO along with other health benefits, while non-GMO products only guarantee the exclusion of genetically modified organisms. This is important to note before the analysis of these responses because it seems as though many people do not know this difference.
Of the 36 participants, 64% (n=23) responded that they would select the “Organic Products” over the “Non-GMO Products.” However, when analyzing their follow-up responses as to why, it does not appear that the respondents truly know the difference between the terms.
Derived from the 64% that selected the “Organic Product” (Product A), some responses included the following:
“Organic sounds better than non-gmo,” “I like to eat more organic products, it makes me feel like I’m eating healthier foods,” “Not really sure about non-GMO products,” and “I don’t know what GMO means.”
Additionally, one respondent that selected Product B as product of choice responded “Not really sure” as to why they chose that product. After an analysis of these responses, two trends emerged. The first trend is a display of senses as respondents used words such as ‘feel’ and ‘sounds’ to explain the reason for why they chose that product. The second pattern that was noted is an expression of uncertainty as multiple respondents outright admitted that they did not know the meaning of one or more of these terms using phrases such as “I don’t know” and “Not really sure.”
Another important pattern to mention is from those that selected the “Non-GMO Product” as their desired choice (n=6). This group of participants included responses that indicated a positive expression regarding the exclusion of genetically modified organisms. These responses included “No modifications,” “Non gmo,” and “[avoiding] the dangers of GMOs.” With this, there can be an implication that these people are unaware organic products include the ‘non-gmo’ aspect, as well as other benefits, as they likely would have chosen differently with price and taste not being mentioned factors.