Impact of Food Recalls on Consumer Trust and Behavior
American consumers are growing increasingly cautious about food recalls. Recent polling indicates that safety warnings are not only affecting their trust in recalled brands but also influencing their future purchasing decisions. A survey conducted by GS1 US, involving 1,000 U.S. adults, revealed that 94% of respondents express concern about the frequency of food recalls. This figure has risen slightly from 93% in 2025. Additionally, confidence in the effectiveness of recalls in safeguarding public health has decreased, dropping from 85% to 80%.
These findings come after several high-profile food recalls this summer, which have led to multiple disease outbreaks. Among these is a salmonella outbreak associated with jalapeño peppers sourced from Mexico, affecting at least 431 individuals across 32 states, resulting in 57 hospitalizations, as reported by the FDA. In another instance, a cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce led to 11,458 reported illnesses across 20 states, 495 hospitalizations, and two deaths.
The survey suggests that recalls are influencing broader consumer sentiment, beyond the specific products that were withdrawn from shelves. About 67% of adults reported avoiding an entire category of food following a recall, an increase from 60% last year. Meanwhile, 66% expressed reluctance to repurchase the same product or brand, compared to 59% in 2025.
Gender differences were also noted in purchasing behaviors. Seventy-one percent of women reported avoiding a category of food post-recall, compared to 63% of men. Additionally, 59% of consumers expressed willingness to pay more for products that provide detailed information, up from 57%.
Understanding Food Recalls
The FDA describes a food recall as the market removal of food that breaches its regulations. While manufacturers or distributors often initiate recalls voluntarily, the FDA can request or even mandate them under certain conditions. The FDA regulates the majority of foods, but meat, poultry, and processed egg products are typically overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Reasons for recalls include the presence of dangerous bacteria, labeling errors, and foreign materials in food. An analysis by Trace One, involving FDA recall data from 2021 through 2025, identified allergen contamination as the leading cause, representing 45.2% of recalls. This includes instances where products contain or come into contact with allergens like milk, wheat, or nuts without proper labeling. Bacterial contamination, involving pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, accounted for 22.6% of recalls, while 10.8% were due to foreign objects like plastic, metal, or rocks. Lead contamination represented a smaller fraction at 0.1%.
The same analysis, which merged FDA and USDA data, showed an increase in food recalls from 505 in 2021 to 613 in 2025, a growth of 21.4%. Class I recalls, indicating products with the greatest potential health risk, increased by 36.4% in the same timeframe.
Consumer Reactions to Recalls
Despite growing concerns, the GS1 US survey suggests most consumers do not permanently avoid a brand following a recall. Only 9% of respondents indicated they would never purchase from a recalled brand again. Among those willing to reconsider, 39% noted that the time elapsed since the recall influenced their decision, another 39% mentioned the severity of the contamination, and 35% referred to recommendations from authorities.
Bob Carpenter, president and CEO of GS1 US, emphasized that while recalls are integral to protecting consumers, enhanced tracing capabilities could help companies identify affected products more quickly and provide consumers with clearer information about safe options.