Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 4/23/14

Nearly two out of three consumers (65 percent) want to know more about where their food comes from — although food companies are increasingly one of the more trusted sources of food production.
This, according to a new white paper, "Emerging Faith in Food Production," by advertising and marketing agency Sullivan Higdon & Sink (SHS) FoodThink. The white paper explains how Americans continue to ask questions about where their food comes from and what processes are involved in food production.

"Food companies have the opportunity to build trust and loyalty among Americans while educating consumers on certain processes," Erika Chance, senior FoodThink researcher, said in a news release. "Transparency about animal welfare, sustainable practices and fair labor practices will help to soften consumers' distrust of the food industry."

According to the white paper, American consumers have several mixed perceptions:
•      Only 31 percent feel food companies are transparent about food production practices.
•      Sixty-seven percent would like to see the food industry take more action in educating people on how food is produced.
•      Only 34 percent say the agriculture industry is transparent.
•      Only 24 percent of Americans claim to have good or excellent knowledge of food production, and 23 percent have good or excellent knowledge about farming and ranching.
The white paper, built from a 2014 study, is a comparative analysis of consumers' changed food production perceptions since SHS FoodThink's white paper "Building Trust in What We Eat" based on a 2012 survey.

"The increase of information about food production has consumers wondering who to trust and what to believe," Chance said. "It's important, now more than ever, for food marketers to proactively pull back the curtain to educate and answer questions honestly to decrease consumer concern."

Today’s consumers are more likely to trust food companies and manufacturers as sources of food production information. Those who consider food companies somewhat or very trustworthy sources have increased significantly from 17 percent to 31 percent since 2012. Meanwhile, those who do not consider them a trustworthy source have decreased from 43 percent to 25 percent.

The FoodThink white paper is built on proprietary research conducted in early 2014 and uses the responses from more than 2,000 U.S. consumers of diverse demographic backgrounds.

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