Market Barriers to RNAi Adoption in Agriculture: Evidence From a Multi‐Country Discrete Choice Experiment Amongst European Consumers

ABSTRACT RNA interference (RNAi) technology offers promising alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides, particularly for fungal resistance. It can be applied in agriculture either through topical delivery, such as spray‐induced gene silencing (SIGS), or via genetic modification, as in host‐induced gene silencing (HIGS). While the European public has shown consistent aversion toward genetically modified (GM) technologies, the level of acceptance for topical RNAi applications remains largely unexplored. This study primarily investigates public acceptance for strawberries produced with Topical RNAi, GM RNAi, or Traditional breeding. A discrete choice experiment was conducted in Italy, France, Germany, and Spain including additional attributes for organic production, local origin, and price. Mixed logit and willingness‐to‐pay estimates were used to analyze preferences and identify socio‐demographic and attitudinal determinants. Results consistently reveal a marked consumer aversion to products developed using RNAi technologies relative to conventional breeding, with particularly strong skepticism in France and Germany. By contrast, organic and local attributes exert strong positive influence, confirming the enduring salience of “natural” and provenance‐related cues. Key factors that could facilitate a shift toward greater acceptance include improving understanding of biotechnology innovations, enhancing consumer confidence in safety assessments, and—most importantly—increasing awareness of the alignment between RNAi technologies and sustainability goals. Acceptance is higher among men, urban residents, and individuals with greater knowledge of biotechnology and trust in regulatory assessments. Conversely, older consumers, women, and those strongly committed to sustainability‐oriented behaviors display lower acceptance, perceiving RNAi as incompatible with their values. The findings underscore that the social readiness of RNAi technologies lags behind their scientific potential. Building consumer trust, improving understanding, and reframing RNAi within broader sustainability goals will be the themes on which to base future policy decisions.