Study of Electronic or Digital Disclosure

September 6, 2017

In compliance with the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (“the Law”), USDA, through Deloitte, has completed a study to identify potential technological challenges that may impact whether consumers would have access to the bioengineering disclosure through electronic or digital disclosure methods.

This study considers five factors:

• The availability of wireless Internet or cellular networks;
• The availability of landline telephones in stores;
• Challenges facing small and rural retailers;
• The efforts that retailers and other entities have taken to address potential technology and infrastructure challenges; and
• The costs and benefits of installing in retail stores electronic or digital link scanners, or other evolving technology that provide bioengineering disclosure information

Summary of study results:

• The majority of Americans own a smartphone (77%) and ownership rates are trending upward
• Most Americans live in areas with sufficient broadband access (93.6%) to scan a digital link to access bioengineering food disclosure information
• All national chain stores and most regional chain stores (97%) provide WiFi in store
• Of small retailers, 37 percent already provide WiFi to consumers in store
• Consumers may recognize digital links but lack familiarity with scanning
• Many consumers (85%) experienced technical challenges using certain mobile software applications (“apps”) for scanning digital links
• Scanning digital links requires access to the internet; therefore, some retailers may need to install WiFi networks for consumers without access to cellular data or local WiFi networks