Safety last?

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/cfb-sl112415.php

Public Release: 24-Nov-2015
Safety last?
Consumers' response to food safety risks are altered due to prior commitment and preference
Cornell Food & Brand Lab

With the globalization of our food supply, food safety issues are a major concern for both public health and for the food industry. Media and industry warn consumers of major recalls and problems with food items, but do consumers listen? In a new article published in the Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, researcher Jessica Cao, together with David Just, Calum Turvey, and Brian Wansink of Cornell University, demonstrated that consumers are reluctant to respond to food safety risks if the recommendations interfere with their existing habits. The study tested whether individuals respond to food risks in their favorite products the same way they do with less preferred products.

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"Consumers are selective in their understanding. If a warning doesn't agree with their beliefs, it will probably be ignored," says Jessica Cao, Assistant Professor at the University of Guelph, one of the primary researchers for the study.

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