lated operations (e.g., their food
safety and quality control staff). Their
suppliers and university researchers/
educators received the second highest
trust. Moderate trust towards information from food certification
groups.
• Consumers and food suppliers agree
that a wide range of issues have a significant relevance in creating a sustainable food system. For both
consumers and food suppliers, producing and supplying safer and
healthier food products is seen as one
of the most important issues.
•
Third-party certification
• Consumers and food suppliers have a
high positive attitude towards certified food products. A majority believe that they are safer than their
non-certified counterparts. However,
food suppliers seem to be less confident than consumers.
• Consumers and food suppliers have
some divergent perceptions on food
safety attributes that convey food
safety assurances.
Consumers believe that government inspection provides the highest
food safety assurance. Third-party certification is considered the second
most important attribute to assure the
supply of safe food. Consumers perceive that brand name and premium
price play limited roles in assuring
food safety.
Food suppliers perceive product
source/traceability as the most important attribute that assures the supply
of safe food. They view brand name,
third-party certification and government inspection as the second most
important attributes. They agree with
the consumers that premium price
plays a limited role in assuring food
safety.
• The consumer tends to differentiate
between third-party certification programs and related promotional activities while purchasing food products.
A clear preference is given to
products that come through the supply chain carrying labels. Promoting
such products is also accepted.
A retailer’s reputation is another
key factor for the consumer to pur-
•
chase those system/process products
that do not come with labels.
