Food Recalls Directly Affect nearly Three-Fourths of Americans

Each July, the Gallup Organization conducts a Consumption Habits survey and this year they have included a question asking the respondents about their own personal experiences with food recalls the survey showed that 62% say they have avoided buying a product because of a government recall. The survey was taken July 12 - 15, which was before the last couple of recalls or warnings issued by the Food and Drug Administration.

In addition to the 62% who say they did not buy a product because of a warning, 40% say they have discarded or return a product because of a warning and about 25% say that at least one time they were worried that something they ate might have been contaminated. Grouping them all together, a total of 71% of the public reports that they had one or more experiences in the last year alone.

While Americans still say they have confidence in the food industry and the government to insure food safety, but it is lower than it has been over the last 10 years. The current percentage who say they have a great deal or a fair amount of confidence is now 71%.

The percentage of Americans saying they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in the federal government to ensure the safety of the food supply is currently 71%. A year ago it was 76% and in 2004 it was at its highest level of 85%.

When they asked the respondents about the level of attention they were paying to the warnings, the level is a bit lower than it was a year ago.

However, there have been more warnings and recalls since this poll was taken and the level of attention is probably on the rise. It is evident that the government is able to detect contaminated foods. The number of warnings is evidence of that. The companies are acting properly in issuing recalls and getting the products off the shelves. There is not worry about that part of it, but there is a good deal of worry about the origins of the contaminations, are they accidental or are they not. Should there be a ban on importing foods from certain countries? If the level of warnings and recalls continues as it is or increases, the percentages are sure to change.

Source: the Gallup Organizations http://www.galluppoll.com/