Publisher: Supermarket News
Published: October 9, 2026
Source: Read at Supermarket News (https://www.supermarketnews.com/food-safety/confidence-in-grocery-food-safety-falls-to-record-low)
Category: Food Access
Only 65% of U.S. adults said they were very or somewhat confident that food sold at most grocery stores was safe to eat, down from 73% in 2025 and 81% in 2019. A cyclospora outbreak that began in June sickened more than 12,000 people across 21 states before ending Sept. 11. Confidence in the federal government's ability to protect the food supply fell to 47%, down from 53% and 68% in 2019, while 53% said they had not much or no confidence. Consumer precautions also rose, with 73% avoiding certain brands or food types, 45% throwing out or returning a food product, and 42% worrying that something they ate was contaminated.
Why this matters: Independent grocers may see more shoppers avoiding certain foods and returning products. Clear recall and food-safety communication may become more consequential as consumer confidence falls.
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