While genetically engineered corn and soybeans are routinely grown, they are largely consumed by animals, while wheat is consumed directly by people and has faced more consumer resistance.
"These are old monopolies that have become privatised, and I think if you don't get tough regulation, you do get the consumer being ripped off," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
In consumer electronics, the average product is replaced in just eight months.
Since 2011, United has piled up a mountain of consumer complaints (according to one report, only Spirit has more per passenger) and has repeatedly tallied some of the worst quality rankings in the nation, trailing even discount airlines like Frontier and AirTran.
The result is a consumer financial-protection agency that's prevented from overseeing one of the most common, and most important, financial products that consumers buy.
In contrast, consumer confidence in the US is rising; for example, the Conference Board's consumer confidence index was up from 40.9 in October, to 55.2 in November to 64.5 in December.
Recyclable post-consumer packaging with an estimated market value of $11.4bn is wasted annually.
However, declining real wages have made consumers reluctant to borrow, undermining efforts to increase consumer spending.
"Psychiatric care is becoming a consumer good in a society in which there is a low tolerance for frustration and adversity," said one Spain-based doctor whose identity has been verified but who wanted to remain anonymous.
If a better consumer environment does mean more drop-through [to profits], the impact on consensus earnings per share could be significant".
Well, Wednesday's update from Lord Wolfson at Next was certainly optimistic (at least by his standards) in that he forecast "some recovery in the consumer environment" by the second quarter of next year.
