For this survey, Roy Morgan International interviewed:

• 25,612 men and women aged 14 years or over throughout Australia between April 2002 and March 2003.
• 12,927 men and women aged 14 years or over throughout New Zealand between May 2002 and April 2003.
• 5,099 men and women aged 14 years or over throughout the USA between March 2002 and August 2002.
• 1,100 men and women aged 14 years or over throughout the UK between May 2001 and November 2001.

Respondents were asked: "Please say whether you agree or disagree with the following statement:
'I won't buy genetically modified food if I can help it.' "

Most Australians (55%) avoided buying GM foods if they could help it. Women (59%) were more likely than men (50%) to avoid buying GM foods. Across age groups, the proportion of Australians who avoided buying GM foods increased with age, from only 43% of 14-24 year olds to 59% of those aged 50 or over.

Those who bought the household groceries most of the time (58%) or some of the time (51%) were more likely to avoid buying GM foods if they could help it than those who never bought groceries (46%).

Farmers (owners or workers, 59%) were more likely to avoid buying GM foods than those who weren't farmers (55%).

Nearly half (49%) of New Zealanders wouldn't buy GM food if they could help it but almost as many (46%) didn't try to avoid it. Most women (57%) tried to avoid GM foods while only 42% of men did. Across the age groups, 50% of those aged 25-34, 53% of those aged 35-49 and 50% of those aged 50 or over tried to avoid GM foods. Only amongst 14-24 year olds (44%) did less than half try to avoid GM foods.

As in Australia, New Zealanders who bought the household groceries most (54%) or some (49%) of the time were more likely to avoid buying GM foods than those who never bought groceries (43%).

In New Zealand, farmers were less likely to avoid buying GM foods (42%) than non-farmers (50%).

Americans were split on the issue of buying GM food - 46% tried to avoid buying GM food and 47% didn't. More women (51%) than men (42%) avoided buying it. Across age groups, the proportion of Americans who avoided buying GM foods increased with age, from 40% of 14-24 year olds to 50% of those aged 50 or over.

Those who bought the household groceries most of the time (51%) or some of the time (48%) were more likely to avoid buying GM foods if they could help it than those who never bought groceries (36%).

In the USA, where 39% of crops are GM¹, farmers were much less likely to avoid buying GM foods (14%) than non-farmers (47%).

Most Britons (55%) wouldn't buy genetically modified food if they could help it. As with the other countries surveyed, women (61%) were more likely to avoid buying GM foods than were men (49%). Older people (62% of 35-49 year olds and 58% of those aged 50 or over) were more likely than younger people (43% of 14-24 year olds and 49% of 25-34 year olds) to avoid buying GM foods.

Those who bought the household groceries most of the time (62%) or some of the time (58%) were more likely to avoid buying GM foods if they could help it than those who never bought groceries (38%).

Note: Due to sample size, comparisons between UK farmers and non-farmers cannot be made in this survey.