Deloitte released a study early this morning confirming that consumer distrust of the food industry is on the rise. After sampling opinions from over 1,000 consumers, the results of the 2011 Consumer Food and Product Insights Survey suggests that consumers are weaning themselves away from the traditional troika of manufacturers, government, and retailers and ramping up advocacy that speaks on a more personal level.
One of the questions asked directly addresses the misgivings many consumers have about the food they eat: “Are you more concerned than you were five years ago about the food you eat?” Seventy-three percent of the respondents said “yes,” up 8 percentage points from 2010, when 65 percent answered the same question affirmatively. Food Safety News reported that "Five consumer concerns about food -- healthiness, safety, processing, chemicals, and contracting a foodborne illness -- were all up in the 2011 survey over the year earlier. Concern about contracting a foodborne illness was cited by 23 percent of consumers, up seven points from the year before."
With consumers insisting on more transparency about the safety and origin of their products, companies should take initiative and work closer with consumers to help build advocates of their own.
Photo Source: SpecialKRB
