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The Global Language of Business

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Recall Trends Survey

Consumers Are Watching. Can Supply Chains Deliver?

New consumer data reveals growing expectations for safety, speed, and transparency

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Food recalls are issued for a variety of reasons: when there's a concern about a food product's safety, often due to contamination with bacteria like salmonella or E. coli, undeclared allergens, or possibly the presence of foreign objects. But how are these recalls viewed by consumers? A new GS1 US® consumer survey indicates a growing awareness of food recalls and highlights the impact they have on consumer behavior.

Results of the online survey of 1,005 U.S. adults indicate consumers understand that these recalls help minimize risk, with 85% of U.S. adults believing that food recalls are effective in protecting public health and safety.

While the frequency of recalls may be concerning to consumers, it's also a signal of a more proactive and effective food safety system driven by scientific/technological innovations and regulatory modernization.

Regulations like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) aim to help the food supply chain respond faster to potential risks. Farms, distributors, brands, and retailers have an opportunity to quickly address consumer behavior that could be negatively impacting their business by enabling more precise traceability of food through the supply chain.

Recall Trends Survey Results

85%

of U.S. adults believe that food recalls are effective in protecting public health and safety

57%

of adult consumers in the United States say that they have discarded food that was recalled, even if their state/region was not impacted by the recall

93%

of U.S. adults indicate that they’re concerned about the frequency of food recalls

60%

of U.S. adult consumers say that they have avoided an entire food product category, example, all lettuce, etc., after a food recall

59%

of U.S. adults share that they’re hesitant to purchase the same product or brand again after a food recall.

Younger U.S. consumers, millennials (65%) and Gen Z (64%), say they are hesitant to purchase the same product or brand again after a food recall as compared to older consumers.

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What Is the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)?

Learn about FSMA Rule 204 and how it may affect your business.

Learn More

How Supply Chains Can Improve Food Safety

FSMA Rule 204 (the Traceability Rule) is a cornerstone of the U.S. FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint, which implements Section 204(d) of FSMA. Under FSMA Rule 204, companies that deal with items on the Food Traceability List (FTL) must record key supply chain data and maintain these records for at least two years. The data must be available in a searchable electronic spreadsheet at minimum, with a preference for a fully digital, interoperable format that facilitates seamless data sharing between trading partners, and that data needs to be transmitted to the U.S. FDA within 24 hours of a request.

Items on the FTL include shell eggs, nut butters, leafy greens, fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, finfish, and more. The U.S. FDA singled out these foods, deemed “high risk” due to their historical role in foodborne illness outbreaks, for the intensified traceability recordkeeping requirements. FSMA Rule 204 also applies to foods that contain listed ingredients, provided that these ingredients have not undergone a kill step.

The U.S. FDA has announced its intention to extend the deadline for FSMA Rule 204 compliance from 2026 to 2028. However with 57% of adult consumers in the U.S. saying that they have discarded food that was recalled even if their state/region was not impacted by the recall, it's clear that the ability to track and trace food back to its original source, which is enabled by FSMA Rule 204 requirements, can help consumers today.

Actionable Advice From the Front Lines

Two industry giants—Wegmans Food Markets and Sysco Corporation—stepped up to pilot what FSMA Rule 204 requirements look like in action. Their findings offer a wake-up call for grocery retailers and foodservice operators alike:

Review

Existing processes cannot be taken for granted. Reassess everything to ensure a “fit for FSMA Rule 204” purpose is met.

Test

On paper or in transactions, a cohesive traceability system must move beyond modeling and into testing to help ensure completeness of all interoperable components and steps.

Standardize

FSMA Rule 204 is complex. But it is also a basic requirement for everyone in the food ecosystem. Approaching all stakeholders with a unified industry response will support meeting the requirements with consistency. This regulation is not the path to differentiation or top-off procedures.

Sponsor

As organizations review FSMA Rule 204, their instinct is to have food safety or food quality take the lead on readiness and implementation. Their experience points to the need for a senior-level cross-functional approach that affords agency within the company as well as externally so that supply chain stakeholders align on the process changes required.

Start

No organization is immune to surprises and required changes. The sooner you and your team start, the easier your journey will be.