The recent salmonella outbreak that sickened over 1,200 people has once again put the safety of our food supply under the microscope.
To gauge how safe patrons feel about the meals they eat in restaurants, the Washington, D.C.-based Food Marketing Institute conducted a survey among 2,020 American shoppers. These stats point out customers’ concerns.
How concerned are you about the safety of what’s being served at restaurants?
In 2008, 43% of customers indicate they are now “extremely concerned” and 34% of customers indicate they are “more concerned” about this issue then they were six months ago.
Top reasons for concern:
59% report concern due to their inability to see how food is handled
55% worry about the origin of the food being served
50% are just concerned in general about food safety
47% ascribe concern to media coverage of the salmonella outbreak
Consumer response to food safety scare:
43% did not order affected product at all
36% did not change their behavior
13% only ordered product if not from affected area
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