The stakes for brands are high amid widespread, large food recalls that some experts attribute to increasingly consolidated supplier networks that can broaden the reach of contamination events.
At the same time, the food industry is preparing for compliance with FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Rule 204 in 2028, which will require companies handling certain high-risk foods on the Food Traceability List, including cut produce and leafy greens, to maintain traceability records that can be shared with regulators within 24 hours.
Against that backdrop, new consumer research from GS1 US, a non-profit supply chain standards organization, underscores how significantly recalls can influence purchasing behavior. According to the organization’s recent survey, 67% of consumers said they had avoided an entire food category following a recall, highlighting the growing “halo effect” recalls can have across products and brands that were never directly implicated.
For brands, that means recall management is no longer just about removing affected products from shelves. It is increasingly about protecting confidence in an entire category.
“Recall management is more than removing affected products from the market. It’s also about protecting consumer confidence in the broader category, and that responsibility cannot sit with the brand alone,” Michelle Covey, vice president of customer success at GS1 US, explained.
The survey suggests, however, that consumers are willing to return to companies that respond effectively. While 66% of consumers reported being hesitant to repurchase a recalled product or brand, only 9% said they would never purchase a recalled brand again.
“That suggests most consumers are willing to give brands another opportunity if they believe the issue has been addressed appropriately,” Covey said.
Transparency builds trust
According to Covey, rebuilding trust starts with transparency.
“Consumers want confidence that companies understand exactly what happened, which products were affected and what corrective actions were taken,” she said.
Brands cannot control every factor that influences consumer perception, such as the severity of a contamination. But, they can control the speed and accuracy of their response.
“The more clearly a brand can demonstrate that it isolated the issue and removed affected products from circulation, the stronger its foundation for rebuilding trust,” Covey said.
Traceability as a competitive strategy
Investments in traceability are becoming both a regulatory requirement and a competitive advantage. As the industry moves toward FSMA 204 compliance, Covey argues that traceability should be viewed as a trust-building tool rather than simply a compliance exercise.
“FSMA Rule 204 establishes important regulatory requirements, but the survey shows there are also significant business and consumer trust benefits associated with improved traceability,” she said.
Technologies such as QR codes and next-generation 2D barcodes are expected to play a growing role in those efforts and address consumers’ increasing demand for transparency. According to Covey, these tools can help companies identify affected products with more precision, provide consumers with more product information and prevent recalled products from being sold at checkout.
Transparency is a shared industry responsibility
Ultimately, Covey argues that maintaining trust amid rising food safety concerns requires an industry-wide commitment to transparency and information sharing.
“The survey highlights that recalls can affect entire categories, including brands that were never involved in the incident,” she said. “That means maintaining consumer trust is increasingly a shared industry responsibility.”
And for individual brands, the differentiator will be their ability to communicate quickly, clearly and accurately when problems arise.
“The brands that maintain trust will likely be the ones that can provide the greatest level of transparency, speed and precision,” Covey said. “Ultimately, trust is built not only by responding to recalls, but by giving consumers clear and accurate information that helps them make informed decisions upfront.”
