Consumers’ Willingness to Buy CRISPR Gene-Edited Tomatoes: Evidence from a Choice Experiment Case Study in Germany

The CRISPR gene-editing (GE) breeding method is used to increase the resilience of high-yielding tomato cultivars against pests and diseases, reducing crop protection requirements. This study investigated consumers’ willingness buy GE tomatoes in a repeated discrete-choice experiment. We observed strong positive effect providing information on technology, while sensory experience visit greenhouse had rather weak, predominantly negative participants’ tomatoes. found that roughly half 32 participants demonstrated constant choices during experiments, these were mainly employed as scientists. However, rest changed their choices, with majority showing an tomatoes; “changers” dominated by non-scientists. Science communication technology should target people little knowledge about consumers organic seem have more specified, stable preferences regarding technology. Further, scientific methodology preferentially be provided when new it are not yet widespread formed opinion