ARMONK, N.Y. — Less than 20% of consumers trust food companies to develop and sell foods that are safe and healthy, according to a new IBM study.
Also, 60% of consumers are concerned about the safety of food they purchase, and 63% are knowledgeable about the content of the food they buy, according to the survey of 1,000 consumers in the 10 largest cities nationwide.
A strong majority (83%) of respondents were able to name a food product that was recalled in the past two years due to contamination or other safety concerns. Nearly half of survey respondents -- 46% -- named peanut butter, the staple of school lunches for children across the nation, as the most recognizable recall. Spinach came in a distant second, with 15% awareness nearly two years after the incident.
Consumers are being extra cautious in purchasing food products after a recall, with 49% being less likely to purchase a food product again if it was recalled due to contamination. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents confirmed they would not buy the food until the source of contamination had been found and addressed. Meanwhile, eight percent said they would never purchase the food again, even after the source of contamination was found and addressed.
Nearly two-thirds (63%) report they have purposefully changed their grocery shopping behavior in the past two years because they wanted better value for their money. And almost half have changed shopping behavior to access fresher foods (45%) or better quality foods (43%).
"Especially in today's economy, if consumers are going to pay a little extra for a branded or organic product, they want to be assured that they're paying for something different and better quality," said Guy Blissett, consumer products leader, IBM Institute for Business Value. "Across the board, consumers are demanding transparency and more information about the food they purchase to ensure their safety and that of their families.”
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