With stories about food scares trending, what marketers need to know about consumer’s trust in the media.
The media plays a role in educating today’s consumers. When a story about a food issue hits the media, consumers are quick to listen to the information, but they don’t stop there. Many consumers take the new information and discuss with friends, post on social media and even take a moment to find out more information from the company themselves.
FoodThink’s latest white paper “Allies in Unexpected Places” explores what effect the media has on consumers and what additional sources consumers use to find out more information. More than half of Americans (54%) are willing to give a food producer the opportunity to tell their side of the story. The top sources consumers use to find out more information are:
- Local news station (49%)
- National news station (47%)
- Newspaper (34%)
- Friends and family (33%)
- Social media (30%)
The good news for food marketers is that consumers are willing to return after a scare. While about one in ten consumers will never eat a particular food again after a scare, the majority feel comfortable buying it a few months later or sooner.
I don’t really care. Once I’m able to buy the food again, I will (23%)
I stay away from that food for a while because I’m nervous, but feel comfortable buying it again a few months later. (66%)
I never eat that food again. I don’t trust the problem won’t happen again. (11%)
To learn how consumers react to food stories in the media and what they remember, download the new free white paper “Allies in Unexpected Places.”
