Research in South Africa (SA) has not yet explored consumers’ attitudes toward genetically
modified food products (GMFPs) and attitude’s influence on their purchase intention (PI) by
combining the Expectancy Value (EV) Model of Attitudes and the Theory of Planned Behaviour
(TPB) framework. It remains unknown what drives consumer attitudes toward these food
products and its influence on PI. This study developed an integrated attitudinal framework to
advance food security that highlighted the key aspects contributing to attitude development
towards GMFPs. A qualitative methodology was used, together with a constructivist paradigm
and phenomenological, descriptive and exploratory research design. Purposive, convenience
and snowball sampling were used to recruit 32 participants residing in the Midlands in
KwaZulu-Natal through a Facebook post. Data analysis revealed that the participants believed
GMFPs have an altered state of existence, beneficial traits, with related risks and concerns.
These food products were also valued for what consumers gain from them, but made ethical
connotations to them. Consumer-related benefits were further expected of GMFPs,
suggesting a dual attitude toward GMFPs. The findings suggest that the beliefs component of
the EV Model of Attitudes plays the most prominent role in attitude formation in the GMFP
context, followed by the values component, with the expectations component being the least
influential. The participants lacked GMFP knowledge and did not consult GM-related
information sources, leaving consumers’ beliefs about GMFPs factually unfounded, with
knowledge influencing the beliefs of GMFPs. It was demonstrated that attitudes and subjective
norms do not influence the PI of GMFPs, while perceived behavioural control (PBC) does.
This study contributes to the GMFP industry by showing what drives consumers’ attitudes
toward GMFPs, its influence on PI, and which components of the EV Model of Attitudes are
the most influential in driving attitudes toward GMFPs, thereby highlighting key aspects that
can be used to create consumer acceptance towards GMFPs to advance their food security
status.
Uphando eMzantsi Afrika okwangoku alukayiphicothi indlela abaziva ngayo abathengi
malunga neemveliso zokutya eziguqulwe ngokwemveliso yazo (iiGMFP) kunye nendlela
abaziva ngayo echaphazela ngayo injongo yabo yokuthenga (PI) ngokusebenzisa
indibanisela yesikhokelo se-Expectancy Value (EV) Model of Attitude kunye neTheory of
Planned Behavior (TPB). Akwaziwa ukuba yintoni eqhuba indlela abaziva ngayo abathengi
malunga nezi mveliso zokutya kunye nempembelelo yayo kwinjongo yabo yokuthenga (PI).
Olu phando luqulunqe isikhokelo esihlanganisiweyo sendlela abaziva ngayo abathengi
ukuqhubela phambili ukhuseleko lokutya, ukugqamisa iinkalo eziphambili ezinegalelo
kuphuhliso lwendlela abaziva ngayo malunga neeGMFP. Kusetyenziswe indlela
yophandontyilazwi, isikhokelo sengcingane yokudalwa kolwazi nokuqonda ngokwamava
okuphila/ezentlalo kunye noyilo lophando lokuqonda iingcamango ngesiganeko esithile,
oluchazayo noluphicothayo. Kusetyenziswe iindlela zovandlakanyo ezifana nokukhetha
igcuntswana ledatha ngenjongo (purposive sampling), ukukhetha igcuntswana ledatha
ngokufanelekileyo nalula (convenience sampling) kunye nokukhetha igcuntswana ledatha
ngokufumaneka nzima (snowball sampling) ukukhangela iqela labathathinxaxheba
abangama32 abahlala eMidlands KwaZulu-Natal ngokuxhoma ikhwelo kuFacebook.
Uhlalutyo lwedatha lubonise ukuba abathathinxaxheba bakholelwa ukuba iiGMPP zikwimeko
eguqulweyo, kukho imingcipheko neenkxalabo ezinxulumene nazo, kwaye ezi mveliso
zineempawu eziluncedo. Ezi mveliso zokutya nazo zixatyiselwe oko abathengi
abanokukufumana kuzo, kodwa abathengi bangqamanisa iingcamango ezithile zokuziphatha
kuzo. Iinzuzo ezinxulumene nabathengi bezilindeleke ngakumbi kwiiGMFP, nto leyo ebonisa
indlela entlantlumbini abaziva ngayo malunga neeGMFP. Iziphumo zibonisa ukuba icandelo
leenkolelo ze-EV Model of Attitudes lidlala indima ebonakalayo ekubunjweni kwendlela
yokucinga okanye abaziva ngayo abathengi ngokubhekiselele kwiGMFP, lilandelwe licandelo
lexabiso, lize lona icandelo lokulindela isiphumo esithile libenempembelelo encinci.
Abathathinxaxheba bebengenalo ulwazi lweGMFP kwaye abakhange bayijonge imithombo
yolwazi enxulumene neGM, nto leyo eshiya iinkolelo zabathengi malunga neeGMFP
zibeyinyaniso engenasihlahla, ezinolwazi oluphembelela iinkolelo zeeGMFP. Kubonakaliswe
ukuba iindlela zokucinga okanye abaziva ngayo kunye neenkolelo zabathengi aziyiphembeleli
iPI yeeGMFP, ngelixa ulawulo lwendlela yokuziphatha olubonwayo (perceived behavioural
control (PBC)) luyiphembelela. Olu phando lunegalelo kushishino lweGMFP ngokubonisa
ukuba yintoni eqhubela phambili iindlela zokucinga okanye abaziva ngazo abathengi malunga
neeGMFP kunye nempembelelo yazo kwiPI, lukwabonisa amacandelo e-EV Model of
Attitudes anempembelelo ngakumbi ukuqhubela phambili iindlela abaziva ngazo abathengi
malunga neGMFP, ngaloo ndlela lugqamisa iinkalo eziphambili ezinokusetyenziswa ukudala
ukwamkelwa kweeGMFP ngabathengi ukuqhubela phambili isimo sabo sokhuseleko lokutya.
*The student and supervisor are unable to confirm the correctness of the translated abstract
Ucwaningo eNingizimu Afrika (SA) alusivezi kahle isimo sokuthi bacabangani abathengi
mayelana nemikhiqizo yokudla eyakhiwe ngemifuziselo (GMFPs) kanye nokuthi ukucabanga
kwabo kunamuphi umthelela ekuthengweni kwempahla (PI) ngokusebenzisa inhlanganisela
ye-Expectancy Value (EV) Model of Attitudes kanye nohlaka lwe-Theory of Planned Behaviour
(TPB). Namanje akwaziwa ukuthi yini elawula ukucabanga kwabathengi mayelana nale
mikhiqizo ngokunjalo nomthelela wayo ku-PI. Lolu cwaningo luqhamuke nohlaka oludidiyelwe
mayelana nokucabanga kwabathengi ukuze kuphuculwe indlela yokuvikeleka kokudla
okugqamisa iminxa ethile emqoka enomthelela endleleni yokucabanga ngokwe-GMFP. Lapha
kuye kwasetshenziswa indlela yokuhlola isimo, uhlelo lokuhlola ukucabanga komuntu
ngayedwa nalokho okumangazayo, uhlelo lokuchaza nokuhlola isehlo. Kuye
kwasetshenziswa ingosi ka-Facebook kwaqhanyukwa nohlelo lokunxenxa abantu ukuba nabo
banxenxe abanye kwase kutholakala ababambiqhaza abangama-32 abahlala Maphakathi
neKwaZulu-Natali. Imininingwane yocwaningo iveza ukuthi ababambiqhaza bakholelwa
ekutheni ama-GMFP awukushintsha kwesimo sokuphila, anobungozi futhi kunezikhalo
ngawo, ngokunjalo nokuthi lolu hlobo lwemikhiqizo lunokhondolo oluthile. Le mikhiqizo
yokudla iphinde yakalwa nangokuthi abathengi bangazuzani kuyo, kodwa kunezinto
abathengi abaziphawulayo ngendlela abacabanga ngayo ngale mikhiqizo. Bekulindeleke
ukuba kuvele ukuthi yini ezohlonyulwa abathengi mayelana ne-GMFP, ngokubheka
ukucabanga ngezindlela ezimbili mayelana ne-GMFP. Imiphumela iveza ukuthi ingxenye
yezinkolelo ze-EV Model of Attitudes idlala indima enkulu kakhulu endleleni yokucabanga
ngokuphathelene ne-GMFP, kulandelwa ingxenye yezinga lomkhiqizo, neveza ukuthi
kuncane kakhulu okuphawulekayo nokungumthelela ngalokhu. Ababambiqhaza bebengenalo
ulwazi lwe-GMFP futhi abalwenzanga uphenyo ngokubheka imithombo enolwazi oluhlobene
ne-GM, lokhu-ke kudale ukuthi kungatholakali kahle ukuthi abathengi bakholelwa kukuphi
mayelana nama-GMFP, ngenxa yemininingwane engaqondakali ngokokucabanga nge-
GMFP. Kuye kwavela ukuthi indlela yokucabanga nezinkambiso ezizimele akunamthelela ku-
PI yama-GMFP, ekubeni kuyaye kube nomthelela othile ngokulawulwa kokuziphatha (PBC).
Lolu cwaningo lunomthelela emkhakheni ye-GMFP ngokuthi lubonisa ukuthi yini elawula
indlela yokucabanga kwabathengi mayelana nama-GMFP nomthelela ku-PI, luphinde futhi
lubonise izingxenye ze-EV Model of Attitudes ezinomthelela omkhulu ekulawuleni
ukucabanga nge-GMFP, ngokuthi kugqanyiswe iminxa emqoka engasetshenziswa ukuze
abathengi bamukele imikhiqizo ye-GMFP ekuphuculeni isimo sokuvikeleka kokudla.
*The student and supervisor are unable to confirm the correctness of the translated abstract.
