Deloitte LLP issued a very important report this fall, based on a survey the company commissioned. "Food and Product Safety and its Effect on Consumer Buying Habits" put hard numbers to what marketers have long known.


Pat Conroy, Deloitte LLP's vice chairman and consumer products practice leader: "Our research shows that consumers are becoming less tolerant of recalls, with more than 50 percent changing their product choices. As these consumers continue to buy different products, product manufacturers can expect lower sales and run the risk of damage to their brands."
This is an important, substantiated finding. Many companies seem to think that if they come out quickly to deal with a potential safety issue, they've covered their bases with consumers. . .that consumers will forgive and forget. But is this true?
About 58% of surveyed respondents who learned of product safety or quality problems changed their buying patterns. In fact, those consumers surveyed did not purchase the products in question for an average period of nine months, "increasing the likelihood that they would stop buying the product or brand altogether".
To sign up to view Deloitte's informative web cast, go here.
The findings in a nutshell:
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49% of those surveyed said they were "extremely concerned about product safety; the greatest concerns were expressed by 53% of women and 56% of consumers aged 55 and older.
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54% said they were more concerned about food safety than they were a year ago.
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65% of respondents were "extremely concerned" about the safety of products made outside the U.S.
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73% of respondents were "extremely concerned" about the safety of products made in China. Half expressed the same doubts about products made in Southeast Asia and Mexico.
What consumers surveyed want:
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86% of respondents would like to have food product safety listed on packaging.
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81% of respondents would like to have food product safety listed on company web sites.
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81% of respondents would like to have food product safety information provided by the government.
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67% said that the following factors would weigh in their food purchasing decisions: country of origin on packaging, certification of product testing, and certification of quality.
Note: this survey was commissioned by Deloitte and conducted online by an independent research company on September 3, 2008. The poll was taken with a representative sample of 1004 adult consumers across the country.
Questions:
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How do you feel currently about the measures that the government and individual companies have taken to ensure product safety? Do you think enough has been done or does more have to be done?
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Have you personally experienced any product safety recalls or product safety scares? Has that made you buy an alternative brand that you then continued to purchase?
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Are you more concerned than you were in the past about product safety, especially food safety?
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How have your purchasing habits changed in view of recent product safety issues?
I'd love to hear from you.