Consumers, Transparency and Food

Caring for Animals & Creating Trust in Food

This September our team conducted quantitative Consumer Transparency Research. The purpose was to explore consumer desire for transparency specifically in animal protein and their perceptions of transparency when it comes to animal welfare and sustainability. The findings included the fact that two-thirds of consumers believe that transparency in animal protein is very or extremely important. At the same time, only one-third of those surveyed feel like the animal protein industry is transparent when it comes to environmental sustainability and animal care. So what does transparency in food mean to consumers and why is it so important?

“When I think of transparency and when I think of how consumers are dealing with it in our survey, I think about trust…… Do I trust you to be capable of delivering on your promises? But there's also intent, and that's more like consumer thinking. Do I trust that you have my best interest in mind? Are you trying to hide something? Transparency is very related to that latter one, intent. So if a company's willing to be transparent, to share information with me as a consumer, I'm more likely to trust its intent is aligned with my interest.” - Justin Cook

In this episode, Jane Dukes, Associate Director of Value Chain & Consumers Affairs, speaks with Justin Cook the US Consumer Products Research Leader at Deloitte Services, and Maggie O’Quinn the New Business Development Manager at Midan Marketing.

“I think it's so important to start with the fact that consumers do trust farmers and ranchers. A recent Gallup poll said that 59% of consumers trust farmers and ranchers. So I think that's a really good springboard and good place to start, but what we've uncovered in our recent research is that second to quality, the number one thing that consumers are looking for right now is that they're curious to understand how the animals were cared for.” - Maggie O’Quinn

This Week’s Podcast:

• Meet Justin Cook the US Consumer Products Research Leader at Deloitte Services, and Maggie O’Quinn the New Business Development Manager at Midan Marketing.
• Explore highlights of the Quantitative Consumer Transparency Research and discover insights into consumers animal protein choices