News Media's Role in Consumer Trust of Food Production

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in consumer trust of food production

NEWS MEDIA’S

ROLE


ContentsKey Takeaways

The Media’s Role in Educating the Consumer

Top Media Sources and Fact-Checking

Types of Food Stories that Spark Memory Recall

Consumers are Forgiving of Food Scares

Implications


TAKING THE CONSUMER’S PULSEIn October 2015, SHS conducted a pulse survey to examine year-over-year trends and gain additional insights in the changing news sphere. You’ll see data from this survey cited as “FoodThink News Pulse 2015” throughout the paper.

The Pulse Survey consisted of 1,039 respondents with a confidence interval of +/- 3.04%.


Consumers want to hear what you have to say

Key Takeaways

54%of Americans say they give food producers

the opportunity to tell their side of the story.

When a negative story breaks, consumers want the media to pursue those leads. But consumers are also willing to listen to what food producers have to say, and open to reconsidering you.


Recent food stories stick in consumers' mindsConsumers pay attention to stories about food because they care about food production. When asked to choose from a list, the majority (84%) of consumers surveyed remember hearing a news story about food. The more recent the story, the more likely they were to remember.

Key Takeaways

Ice cream recall for listeria

Bird flu reducing chickens

E. coli cases in burger chain

55%

52%

42%


Their support can return if you do it right

While some consumers will never eat a recalled food product again, the majority (66%) feel comfortable buying a product again a few months after a food scare, if food marketers effectively defuse the situation. And nearly 1 in 4 are willing to purchase the food item as soon as it hits shelves.

Key Takeaways

consumers say they don’t care about food scares and will buy the food again when

it is available.

1 in4



Consumers want the media to continue breaking food stories

32+35+28+3+2“ I hope the media continues to break stories about how food is actually produced.”

Q: Thinking about the media’s role in the food industry, how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

Strongly Agree

Somewhat Agree

Neutral

Somewhat Disagree

Strongly Disagree

32%

35%

28%

3% 2%

While many Americans say there haven’t been any news stories causing them to think differently about a food product or brand of food, over two-thirds (67%) still want the media to break stories about how food is produced.


Yet consumers' perception of sensationalistic media is slowly dropping


In 2014, just over half (54%) of Americans thought the media tended to sensationalize stories about food production practices, just to make them sound worse. In a follow-up study in 2015, that percentage dropped to just 47%.

I think the media tends to sensationalize stories about food production practices to make them sound worse.

Q: Thinking about the media’s role in the food industry, how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements? (Top two)

54% 47%

2014 2015


News stations are the preferred source of information


Sources of additional information

Q: When you hear of a food safety issue, which of the following sources do you use to find additional information? Please select all the apply.

Local news station

National news station

Newspaper

Friends and family

Social media

Government website

Online blogs

Other

Celebrity chefs

49%

47%

33%

34%

30%

20%

16%

10%

7%

Information about food safety issues can come from multiple sources. Nearly half of Americans gain additional information regarding food safety issues from local or national news stations. Friends and family as well as social media are other sources that Americans use to get additional insights.



Friends, family and social media can be used to a brand’s advantage in a crisis. With over half of Americans saying they share interesting food production stories with friends and family, this is a perfect way for brands to drive positive and truthful information, and to encourage reconnection with consumers.

Cultivating brand advocates throughout the year can be beneficial. These long-term relationships can be tapped when needed to speak in a positive manner. Vocal and loyal brand communities will help build a positive and influential perception with consumers.

Brand advocates can drive trustFOOD FOR THOUGHT

share interesting food production

stories with friends and family.

54%



Consumers don’t rely on initial news reports; they dig deeper on their ownAfter I hear a news story on food production, I do my own research about the topic to ensure that it’s true.


55% 76% 68% 66%

Total Agree Healthy DadsOrganic20+35+31+14 Strongly Agree

Somewhat Agree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

20%14%

35%

31%



The facts about fact-checking

15+39+37+9After I hear a negative food production story in the media, I still give the food producer the opportunity to tell their side of the story.


Strongly Agree

Somewhat Agree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

15%9%

39%

37%

If a story is negative, over half of Americans (54%) give the food producer the opportunity to tell their side of the story. This is especially true for older generations.



Government more trustworthy than food companies and restaurants Trustworthy sources of information


A government website is the most trustworthy source for information

regarding food recalls

A food manufacturer or restaurant is the most trustworthy source for information regarding food recalls

50%

24%

33%

35%

17%

41%

Agree Neither Disagree



Fewer stories caused consumers to think differently about a food or brand of food.

Q: In the last year, were there any news stories about food production that caused you to think differently about a food or brand of food?

28% 72%

Americans value the media’s role in reporting food issues. But that doesn’t mean they remember what they see. Only a little over a quarter (28%) of Americans report that a food production news story caused them to think differently about a food or brand.

Consumers’ attention spans are as short as the news cycle


Types of Food Stories That Spark Memory Recall

News stories may not change perception. But certain stories have higher recall.

of Americans remember a story

about food, food safety or food production in

the past year.

80%Americans see a wide range of stories about food and food production. And while Americans remember many of the top stories in the media, some don’t have all the facts. In an unaided response, 80% of Americans said they have seen or heard a story about food, food safety or food production in the past year.



The food story spectrum

Heard about people getting sick from cucumbers. Heard about GMO corn killing all the bees at a nearby bee farm. Also heard about a hummus brand recall.

Over the past year or so, the stories I’ve heard about food haven’t been good at all. Basically about how some food production isn’t safe at all. It’s so many stories that have been going on about food safety, and food production.

Recalls on ice cream. GMO’s being safe or unsafe. Not sure to be exact.

I have heard that fast food places use meat grease to cook their french fries in.

I have seen a lot of stories such as bread recalls for glass in it, salmonella outbreaks and more.

I read and saw a video about how hotdogs were made and I believe that it was done only to make us hate hotdogs but really that isn’t how they are made. This was disturbing for me.

Several contamination stories. Stories about slow food. Stories about GMO’s and food supply internationally. Several stories about super foods and organics, as well. Many processed foods are filled with sugars and chemicals that can cause cancer.

“

“

“

“

“

“

“

”

””

”

”

”

”

Q: Over the past year or so, what stories have you seen or heard, about food, food safety or food production?



2015 had some memorable food scares

Top stories from 2015

Q: Over the past year or so, which of the following news stories about food do you remember? Please select all that apply.

A brand of ice cream being recalled for listeria 55%

Bird flu reducing the number of chickens and eggs available 52%

Cucumbers recalled for salmonella 39%

E. coli cases linked to undercooked ground beef at a restaurant 42%

Seafood company recall canned fish products for possible botulism outbreak 21%

None of these 16%



Many food companies are hurt by the recall of their product, but some companies can recover. Over half of Americans remember the recall of an ice cream brand in 2015, but in one brand’s case, when it was available in grocery stores again, consumers came back to the brand. Not only were they buying the product, they were celebrating their purchases on social media.

An important factor in recovering from a food recall is transparency. As reported in “Emerging Faith in Food Production,” FoodThink found that 31% of consumers consider food companies trustworthy. More important, the percentage of consumers who do not consider food companies trustworthy has dropped by 41%. As food recalls occur, it’s important to continue to gain the trust of loyal consumers by being transparent.

Brand Loyalty and Transparency ImportantFOOD FOR THOUGHT

consider food companies

trustworthy.

31%


Consumers Can Be Forgiving of Food Scares

Consumers are willing to returnWhile about one in ten (11%) consumers will never eat a particular food again after a food safety scare, the majority will buy it again after a few months. Nearly one in four (23%) consumers don’t care about the scare and will buy the food immediately when available again.

23% 66% 11%“I don’t really care.

Once I’m able to buy the food again, I will.”

“I stay away from that food for a while because I’m nervous, but feel comfortable

buying it again a few months later.”

“I never eat that food again. I don’t trust the problem

won’t happen again.”


Consumers Can Be Forgiving of Food Scares

Men are more likely than women to return

14%13%

(131)(114)MomsFemale

12%

(109)Good Cooks

26%31%

(114)(136*)DadsMale

29%

(129)Bad Cooks

I DON’T REALLY CARE. ONCE I’M ABLE TO BUY THE FOOD AGAIN, I WILL. (23%)

I NEVER EAT THAT FOOD AGAIN. I DON’T TRUST THE PROBLEM WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN. (11%)


Implications

The majority of consumers are willing to return to a brand after a recall, but there may be some hesitation. Food marketers can gain the trust of their consumers and lessen the negative effects of a recall.

Consumers can be willing to return

Consumers research the stories. Provide them with your side of the story. And do it quickly! Timeliness is important. Share on your owned channels but also in media for improved credibility.

Back it up with facts

As one of the more trusted sources, food marketers should showcase transparency and honesty to help gain trust when talking with the media.

Consumers trust the media more than food manufacturers and restaurants, despite concerns of sensationalism.

Food marketers have the opportunity to reach their consumers in a time of crisis and use them to promote truthful information, while working with the media to effectively deliver the real story. Consumers want to hear from you, so tell your side of the story. No comment is no option.

Food scares have a diminishing effect.

shsfoodthink.com ©2015 Sullivan Higdon & Sink. All rights reserved. The data in this report may be reproduced as long as it is cited: “Motivated Meal Planning,” Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, 2014.

shsfoodthink.com ©2014 Sullivan Higdon & Sink. All rights reserved. The data in this report may be reproduced as long as it is cited: “Feeding a Digital World,” Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, 2014.

About the study

22

In early 2014, SHS conducted the latest round of its FoodThink research study monitoring how consumers think about what they eat and America’s relationship with food.

The study was executed among 2,004 consumers across the country via an online email survey (confidence interval of +/-2.19% at a confidence level of 95%). Respondents had to be at least 18 years of age and have joint or primary responsibility for the grocery and food decisions in their household. They came from a mix of demographic backgrounds and regions across the U.S. The study covered a wide range of topics, such as perceptions of food production, cooking trends and changing thoughts about food.

shsfoodthink.com ©2015 Sullivan Higdon & Sink. All rights reserved. The data in this report may be reproduced as long as it is cited: “Motivated Meal Planning,” Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, 2014.

shsfoodthink.com ©2014 Sullivan Higdon & Sink. All rights reserved. The data in this report may be reproduced as long as it is cited: “Feeding a Digital World,” Sullivan Higdon & Sink FoodThink, 2014. 23

FOR MORE about Sullivan Higdon & Sink’s FoodThink study, please visit www.shsfoodthink.com

News Media's Role in Consumer Trust of Food Production

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