Linkages among food safety risk perception, trust and information: Evidence from Hanoi consumers

Abstract

Perception of food safety risk is formed through a complex process. This paper investigates the relationships among information acquisition about food incidents, institutional trust, and risk perception. Applying Structural Equation Modeling on the survey data from Hanoi, linkages among risk perceived of hazards, risk perceived of common foods, and perception of food safety risk in general were verified. Food incident information resulted in a lower level of institutional trust. Negative information about food safety heightened risk perceived of common foods, of hazards and indirectly increased the perception of food safety risk in general. To assist consumers in forming unbiased food safety risk perception, these linkages should be considered.