How Prominently Should Grocers Promote Their Food Safety Standards as Shoppers Show Anxiety?

Several high-profile recalls and headlines tied to food safety have been proliferating throughout 2026, and it appears that these stories have spooked U.S. shoppers.

An Oct. 7 Gallup report indicates that Americans’ confidence that the food on offer at U.S. grocers is safe to consume has tumbled to an all-time low. Just under two-thirds (65%) of those polled stated they were either very or somewhat confident on this score, down from 73% in 2025 and 72% in 2024 – and well behind the 81% registered in the pre-pandemic era in 2019. Another record low came in when the question of whether the federal government was able to ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply, with only 47% of respondents saying as much.

In terms of the consumer response to anxieties over the proliferation of recalls and food-related illnesses, Gallup’s Lydia Saad offered the following analysis:

“The most common, and the one that has increased the most since 2024, is avoiding purchasing certain brands or types of food. Seventy-three percent of U.S. adults say they have done this in the past year, up 20 points from 53% saying so in 2024. The current figure also exceeds the percentages avoiding certain foods in 2007 (62%) and 2008 (60%), when significant food safety issues were in the news,” Saad wrote.

“Additionally, 45% of Americans say they have thrown out or returned a food product to the store in the past year, up from 37% in 2024 and slightly higher than the 40% found in 2007. Similarly, a trend-high 42%, up from 26% in 2024, say they have worried that something they ate may have been contaminated,” she added.

Several Grocers Have Websites or Reports on Food Safety Operations, But Is This Enough?

Several high-profile players in the grocery space have made public-facing commitments on the subject:

• Costco emphasizes traceability and quality: Costco discussed the quality standards, particularly around its Kirkland Signature brand, at length in a document. Traceability was of prime importance, which “helps Costco to improve the quality and safety of a product, examine issues related to environmental impacts, list product origin information on the label, and help people in the supply chain receive a fair return.”

• Walmart reassures customer on a “higher bar” in its supply chain: Walmart states that “affordability never comes at the expense of quality and safety” in its notice, noting that it subjects its supply chain to rigorous accountability standards and its stores to regular inspections by internal staff, government agencies, and independent third-party food safety auditors.

• Whole Foods Market promotes its transparency and quality standards in sourcing: A shopper-facing website declares that Whole Foods intends to be wholly transparent about its sourcing standards as part of its Sourced for Good program, also tied to fair trade practices. “From industry-leading meat and seafood standards to beyond cage-free eggs, we take pride in what we sell and even more in what we don’t,” the company stated.

• Kroger emphasizes safety and recall follow-through as part of governance: Under the umbrella of greater governance, in a 2025 responsible business report Kroger noted that it was heavily involved in protecting shoppers from unsafe food, allergens, etc. Also, Kroger highlighted its advanced recall management program, which uses a personalized notification system to inform affected shoppers if they’ve purchased a specific recalled item.

Recalls Continue To Spook Grocery Shoppers

In a Sept. 1 report issued by GS1, the pertinent issue of recalls was tackled more specifically, with a survey offering clues as to what grocers might do next. More than two-thirds (67%) of shoppers have avoided an entire food category after a recall, up from 60% last year; a full 66% are reluctant to buy the same product or brand again, up from 59% in 2025; and 59% have tossed out recalled food even if their state or region was not affected, also up from 57% last year.

Questions for further discussion:

• Are grocers doing enough to market food safety and sourcing messaging to U.S. shoppers? Why or why not, in your view? Are there any potential pitfalls to be avoided in doing so?

• Which grocer(s) do you believe are doing the best job of instilling a belief, or positive reputation, around food sourcing and food safety standards? Conversely, which supermarkets or warehouse clubs are missing the mark?

• Is there anything other than messaging that grocers can do to publicly showcase their commitment to food safety and sourcing excellence? What would you advise??