The last several months of the year have seen multiple large-scale recalls of food products due to foodborne illnesses such as Listeria and E. coli. The flow of food recall news hasn’t slowed down yet, with another recall announced this past weekend.
Food Safety Concerns Are High But A Majority Still Trusts Retailers and Brands
New CivicScience data find a strong majority (81%) are at least ‘somewhat’ concerned about the wave of food product recalls, including 31% who are ‘very’ concerned. In contrast, just under one in five (19%) are ‘not at all’ concerned.1 While the majority who are concerned extends across party lines, Democrats are far more likely to be concerned than Republicans and Independents.
Despite the strong concern for food recalls, most consumers ‘somewhat’ or ‘completely’ trust both grocery stores (55%) and the food brands themselves (53%) to ensure the safety of the food they purchase. That said, they are slightly more likely to say they ‘somewhat’ or ‘completely’ distrust food brands (19%) than grocery stores (16%).
Join the Conversation: To what degree to you trust the safety of the food you purchase?
Instances of Sickness and Product Avoidance Are On the Rise
Although most consumers say they haven’t been impacted by food product recalls recently, the percentage of those who have been affected has risen slightly from 28% in October to 30% now. Notably, the share of consumers who reported either they or someone in their household became sick from a recalled product increased from 6% to 8%. Furthermore, 16% reported avoiding a product they usually purchase, up two points since October.
Digging deeper into the types of food consumers avoided buying reveals that fresh foods, such as meat and produce, were the most commonly impacted. Processed and packaged foods came in a distant second, while similar percentages of consumers reported avoiding nearly all other categories studied.
Let Us Know: When was the last time you discarded food due to a major safety recall?
The uptick in food recalls and consumer avoidance of certain products underscores the need for brands and retailers to proactively address food safety concerns. With trust in grocery stores and brands hanging in a delicate balance, brands and grocery retailers that can respond swiftly and transparently may gain a competitive edge in retaining that trust. CivicScience is uniquely able to support these efforts by delivering real-time insights into consumer sentiment and behaviors, empowering brands to adapt and build trust effectively.
- 2,077 responses from 12/02/2024 to 12/04/2024 ↩︎
