Rethinking Food Recall Communications for Consumers

Abstract

In the last six years, there have been calls for change to the United States (US) food recall system. These calls highlight the need for: 1. Change in federal oversight2. Better use and management of data3. More effective food recall communication to the US publicThis paper presents recent responses to these calls for change, both from the food industry and government. The authors suggest that the majority of reform and change has focused on federal oversight and improved data tracking, while neglecting to explore ways of communicating food recalls more effectively to the public.The paper answers the questions: 1. Are there specific ways that the communication of food recalls might be improved?2. Where and how do consumers prefer to receive food recall information?3. Who do consumers trust to deliver food recall information?The extant literature suggests that making information about recalls more accessible to the public might help consumers make more informed decisions during food recalls. The results of two consumer surveys suggest that consumers prefer to receive information at the point of purchase, and that they trust existing federal agencies —the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — to deliver that information. We suggest that an in-store, point-of-purchase communication system should be explored through different stages of design exploration and testing—allowing for continued consumer input.