CONSUMER TRUST IN FOOD UNDER VARYING SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CONDITIONS

摘要

Consumer trust in food has been on the agenda in Europe over the last 10-15 years, brought forth by major events linked to food safety and quality as well as by structural and political changes in the food system. Research has shown that consumer responses cannot be reduced to a matter of unbalanced media presentations ('scares') or personal uncertainty in view of technological innovations (like GM food). Such aspects are certainly important, but the key factor triggering responses of distrust seems to be how market and public actors handle such issues. Lack of accountability and transparency and disregard of consumer expectations and interests form important explanations to negative reactions among buyers and eaters of food. Media presentations are important in communicating such problems, which of course also may be exaggerated. But lack of openness and responsiveness seems to be more of a problem than media amplification.Public food control was early installed in order to handle problems of safety and accountability. From the late 1990s, food provisioning systems changed dramatically and public control was modified in order to cope with these changes. More market integration, concentration and complexity, and regulation based on market self governance did not only question consumers' trust; trust also became more important. Gradually, self-governance systems have improved and public regulatory efforts have become clearer and more sensitive to consumer expectations. In that way, new divisions of responsibility have been established which also give people in their capacity as consumers a (somewhat) more visible role.Or-at least - this seems to have happened for food safety. Several other food issues are less settled. And it has happened in some European countries, while other countries still struggle with considerable scepticism both among ordinary consumers and in other actors' attitudes towards consumers of food. An important lesson is that trust in regulatory regimes largely based on market self governance depends on their ability to demonstate predictability and accountability and their attentiveness towards public and consumer concerns and socially agreed standards. The whole system must meet basic expectations of fairness and legitimate distribution of responsibility. When such conditions are met, the capability to build trust seems considerable.Yet, all of this has taken place within a context of relative affluence, abundant supplies with decreasing food prices, and rather stable institutional contexts. A number of recent events suggest that these conditions may not be taken for granted in the future. Market instability, increasing food prices, more opportunistic behaviour among market actors, and less concern and legitimacy for consumer expectations, are all possible scenarios. This may, in turn, challenge established regimes of food regulation and (again) make food issues more contentious. Historically, it is in periods of rapid change that we find most cases of consumer mobilisation and food riots. But responses among consumers and the public do not necessarily depend on the emergence of new conditons or problems per se, but on whether these challenges are met in ways that consider consumer concerns and interests.