RED DEER – News reports about meat recalls and food safety problems often influence consumer buying habits, says a rural economy researcher from the University of Alberta.
Ellen Goddard told the Alberta Turkey Producers annual meeting in Red Deer on Feb. 28 that a U.S. study released in January showed food recalls affect consumption patterns. However, there is little research to show if people substitute products or drop them altogether, she added.
“Will consumers be concerned about food safety issues to the detriment of future sales?”
Read Also
Alberta farm lives up to corn capital reputation
Farm to Table Tour highlighting to consumers where their food comes from features Molnar Farms which grows a large variety of market fruits and vegetables including corn, with Taber being known as the Corn Capital of Canada.
Coverage of food safety issues has been increasing since 1986 and consumers do respond, but Goddard said no one is sure which products they turn away from. For example, it’s unclear if consumers might select processed meat over fresh or vice versa if they are concerned about coming in contact with avian influenza.
Studies also show consumer confidence is hard to renew through advertising and government announcements.
“Consumers are pretty skeptical about information from any source,” Goddard said.
For example, BSE changed European opinions about food safety and governments’ ability to handle the situation. Europeans generally felt governments badly handled the BSE situation and its link to human health.
Information provided in Canada’s food guide has also influenced eating patterns. The last food guide was released in 1992 and its recommended number of servings was 30 percent higher than recommendations in 1942, even though most people are far less active compared to 50 years ago.
It may have had detrimental effects.
“The 17 percent increase of the average amount of food consumed by Canadians closely mirrors the rise in the rates of obesity in Canada,” Goddard said.
Researchers know protein and fibre consumption has increased but total calorie and fat intake is even higher.
The guide is being renewed and if it recommends smaller meat servings to cut back on fat, the question is whether people might switch to more poultry or other proteins such as fish, beans and eggs.
“Changes in the recommendations in the food guide can have a significant impact in the future,” Goddard said.
If people decide to change their eating habits, it is difficult to know how to add value to poultry and meat products because no one can predict what direction consumers’ future patterns might take.
