A survey commissioned by Deloitte Consulting LLP and conducted online by an independent research company polled a nationally representative sample of 1,110 consumers.
The survey found that food safety fears have moved to the front of the checkout line as well over half of Americans (57 percent) say they have actually stopped eating a particular food, temporarily or permanently, as a result of a recent recall.
Additionally, close to three-fourths of Americans (73 percent) say they believe the number of food-related recalls has increased in the past year. An even higher percentage (76 percent) indicates they are more concerned about the foods they eat than they were five years ago.
The survey results show that concerns are especially high around recalls of meat products. Specifically, consumers say they are most concerned by beef recalls (78 percent) followed by chicken recalls (67 percent), recalls of fresh fruit and vegetables (53 percent), and recalls of dairy products (53 percent).
The survey also found that nearly nine out of ten Americans (89 percent) would like to see food stores sell more fruits and vegetables that come from local farms, and well over two-thirds (69 percent) said they would pay slightly more for such produce.
For more information, visit www.deloitte.com
