Despite COVID-19 Struggles, Trust in Food Industry Remains
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Published 06 April 2020
The food industry is facing unprecedented struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are fears that closed businesses, lost jobs, stock shortages and emptying grocery shelves could hurt the public’s trust in the industry. Recent research has determined that the result is actually the opposite.
April 3, 2020 — IGD, a UK research and training charity, released new figures that show just how much UK shoppers place trust in the food industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. The past month has really put the relationship between consumers and the food industry under the microscope, especially as the demands on food retailers rise during these challenging times.
There has been a slight change in shopper behavior, as customers adjust their shopping habits based on social distancing restrictions and fears of contracting COVID-19. Despite this, data shows that the general public still places significant trust in the food industry.
Trust in the industry to provide safe products is up 2% since February. Also, trust to provide quality products is up 6% compared to February. Lastly, three out of four shoppers trust the food service and retail industry to ensure good availability of products. This is good news, as availability is one area that the food industry is struggling to maintain as restaurants are closing down and grocery store shelves are emptying at rapid rates.
The data provided by IGD points to how valued the food industry is to the population, despite the drastic changes and immense struggles the industry has had to face.