Consumer Study: Trust in Food & Beverages Sector Stable But Fragile

26 Mar 2014 --- Trust in the food and beverages sector is stable but fragile, according to research firm Edelman Berland, and there are calls from the public for more regulation and transparency. The company, which has just launched its global Trust Barometer for the Food & Beverage Sector, revealed that the 2014 sector results showed the Food & Beverage Sector is overall the fourth most trusted industry (63% after Technology, Consumer Electronics Manufacturing and Automotive).

However, in the wake of a series of food scandals across Europe, trust in this sector is fragile. This year’s results for food showed an alarmingly large group of ‘swing voters’ – respondents whose vote of confidence in the sector is volatile. On average this group represents two thirds of all trusting respondents. To keep earning and deepen their trust, these respondents have given two very specific charges to the industry: drive regulation (48%) and be more transparent (84%).

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Edelman’s Director of Corporate and Food, Anneloes Roeleveld, confirmed that the amount of ‘swing voters’ indicates that respondents (who are all consumers) are confused. “They do not want to worry about what they eat and drink every day,” she said. “They want to believe that the companies that produce their food and beverages are transparent and ethical. Indeed, food scandals around horse meat and ‘plofkip’ in the Netherlands have shaken our sense of security and stirred a sense of unease that we do not always know what it is we are eating.” At the same time, she said, our food has never been safer to consumer, so there is a gap that needs to be bridged and an opportunity for the sector to take the lead.

As indicated by the survey, respondents believed there is not enough regulation around Food & Beverages and they called upon the Food sector to take a far more active role than currently is the case. Globally speaking, the public indicates there is too little regulation, more so for food than business in general (48% ‘wants more regulation for F&B’ vs. 42% ‘wants more regulation for business’). Interestingly, the European call is even stronger (52% vs. 48%).  

“Consumers want to know that the food they eat and the beverages they drink are quality controlled, clearly labelled and responsibly sourced,” said Roeleveld. “The Trust Barometer outcomes are a call to action for businesses in the food sector to open up and win their consumers’ trust back, for example by listening to their consumers, by taking ethical decisions and by implementing voluntary measures that increase transparency and show long-term commitment to sustainable sourcing policies.”

The second main finding from the report is that businesses underperform in the areas of transparency, engagement and integrity; 45% indicate these attributes are the most important trust drivers, yet the extent to which businesses actually live up to that expectation is only recognized by 16%.  
“This year’s outcomes cry out for businesses to step up; be vocal in the regulatory space, take voluntary measures, be more transparent about your sourcing policies, listen to what your customers are trying to tell you,” said Tish van Dyke, Global Head of Food for Edelman. “Every single person on this earth gives our sector a vote of confidence multiple times a day. They all have an essential and emotional connection with food and beverage but are looking for reassurance from the people who know. As long as the industry is unable to engage, their trust and support is volatile.”

Influencers and representatives from European Retail Round Table, Yara and FoodDrinkEurope further discussed the results and industry developments during a panel discussion on Food Safety.
Van Dyke: “Today’s discussions once again showed that the industry has forged strong relationships capable to address the challenges the sector is facing. Our food is safer than ever, but the license to drive regulation needs to be taken and the call to communicate openly and transparently needs to be taken seriously.

The 2014 Edelman Trust Barometer is the firm’s 14th annual trust and credibility survey. The survey was produced by research firm Edelman Berland and consisted of 20-minute online interviews conducted October 16, 2013 – November 29, 2013. The 2014 Edelman Trust Barometer online survey sampled 27,000 general population respondents with an oversample of 6,000 informed publics ages 25-64 across 27 countries.

By Sonya Hook