LGMA News:
Food Safety Program that Protects Consumers
Also Very Popular With Consumers
Eighty-Nine Percent Had Favorable Opinion of LGMA Programs
April 1 , 2008
Sacramento, California – New research results show that consumers’ response is overwhelmingly positive to food safety efforts recently undertaken by farmers of leafy green products, like spinach and lettuce, to protect public health. The California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA) conducted a nationwide survey in late February to determine how consumers view the food safety efforts by the industry. An impressive 89% of consumers had a favorable opinion when they were told about the food safety programs and mandatory government audits being implemented under the LGMA program. And, 70% of consumers said that after learning more about the LGMA food safety program their confidence in the overall safety of leafy green products increased.
The LGMA was formed in the spring of 2007. Operating with oversight from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the LGMA is a mechanism for verifying through mandatory government inspections that farmers follow accepted food safety practices for lettuce, spinach and other leafy greens.
Although consumers reacted very positively to all elements of the program, they found the regular and random government audits mandated under the LGMA system especially reassuring with 86% of consumers stating that this raised their level of confidence in leafy greens products. Almost 60% of consumers preferred these mandatory government audits to other inspection services, such as those conducted by private auditing companies.
Consumers also said support for the LGMA program by retailers and foodservice operators raised their confidence in leafy greens products. When told that many grocery stores and restaurant chains who buy California leafy greens products support the LGMA by only purchasing these products from member companies who pass mandatory government audits, an impressive 88% of consumers said this raised their level of confidence in leafy green products.
“While huge strides have been made by the California leafy greens industry in the last year to protect public health, it is very gratifying to see consumers reacting so positively to the unprecedented and unique LGMA programs and structure,” says Scott Horsfall, Chief Executive Officer of the LGMA. “Our consumer is our most important audience and their opinions very much matter to this industry, which is why we commissioned this study.”
The survey also asked consumers where they go for information regarding food safety. Sixty-two percent said they would search the internet. When asked who they find to be the most credible sources of information on food safety, 57% of consumers said farmers followed by 56% finding consumer groups and grocery stores and restaurant chains credible.
In terms of purchasing habits, 55% of those surveyed purchase leafy green products once a week or more. Consumers still cite price and value as the main factor in their purchasing decisions with 71% of those surveyed responding that this goes into their decision-making process. This was followed by quality and freshness at 47%.
Download the LGMA Consumer Research Executive Summary 