Retailers Joining Group Effort To Educate Millions Of Consumers About Food Safety
Washington, DC - Food retailers from around the country are joining a cooperative government, industry and consumer group effort to reach millions of consumers with important food safety information.
Be Food Safe, originally launched by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Partnership for Food Safety Education, encourages retailers to display food safety messages and visual reminders in front of customers through in-store promotions, brochures, flyers, packaging, circular ads and other forms of customer outreach. Nearly 40 retailers, representing approximately 6,000 supermarkets and an estimated 81 million consumers, have volunteered to implement Be Food Safe through their in-store and external customer communications programs. The campaign encourages the use of colorful, modular icons and photography to illustrate the basic safe food handling practices of clean, separate, cook and chill.
According to research conducted by the Partnership, 64 percent of consumers say it is "very important" to follow safe food handling at home, yet many consumers are not consistent in doing so. The same study found that consumers believed it was "very important" to educate the public on safe food handling, with most believing that food companies and the government should provide this information.
"The Partnership's work with food retailers will help us keep food safety top-of-mind with people who shop for and prepare food at home," said Shelley Feist, Executive Director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education. "It is important that consumers receive frequent reminders of the importance of safe food handling to reduce the risk of illness.
While the overall rate of foodborne illness has been declining, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that an estimated one in four Americans suffers from foodborne illness each year.
"Ten years of consumer education through the Partnership has led to improved levels of awareness about basic safe food handling practices," said Bryan Silbermann, Chairman of the Partnership's Board of Directors and the President of the Produce Marketing Association. "By adding the reach of retailers and suppliers using the consistent Be Food Safe messaging, we will be able to get important reminders in front of consumers where they shop."
The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2007 found that only 66 percent of shoppers are confident that the food they buy at the supermarket is safe, which is a 16 percent decrease from 2006 when 82 percent of consumers reported they were confident the food they purchase at the grocery store was safe.
"Food retailers across the country are eager to help communicate critical food safety messages to their customers," said Tim Hammonds, President and CEO of FMI. "Be Food Safe is an important, consumer-tested tool that grocers can use with confidence."
SOURCE: United States Department of Agriculture