The poll revealed that only 12 percent of U.S. adults say they have a “great deal” of faith while 41 percent say they have a “fair amount” of confidence in the federal government to keep the food supply safe.
This figure has dropped sharply since 2019, when 68 percent were in those two categories combined.
Roughly eight in 10 Americans expressed at least a “fair” amount of faith in the government to ensure food safety in measures from 1999 to 2006. Confidence fell amid a massive salmonella outbreak in 2007, to about seven in 10 U.S. adults, and remained at that level through 2019, after which it fell further in 2024.
Fewer Democrats are now confident in the federal government to ensure food safety, down from 74 percent in 2024 to 48 percent now. Meanwhile, Republicans’ confidence in the government to ensure the safety of the food supply has increased by 12 points, to 62 percent.
According to Gallup, these changes are likely in response to shifts in the party of the sitting president, from Democrat Joe Biden to Republican Donald Trump. Democratic confidence may also be lower because of Trump administration proposals to significantly reduce federal spending on domestic programs, including the Food and Drug Administration. Confidence remains unchanged among political independents at 52 percent.
“Notably, the pattern is reversed when it comes to perceptions of grocery store food safety. While 67 percent of Republicans say they are at least somewhat confident in the safety of food sold at grocery stores, that figure rises to 70 percent among independents and 80 percent among Democrats,” according to the poll analysis.
A separate survey question asked U.S. consumers about the safety of food at grocery stores.
The 73 percent of U.S. adults who are “very” (24 percent) or “somewhat” confident (49 percent) that food sold in grocery stores is safe to eat is on par with the 72 percent found in 2024, but down nine percentage points from 81 percent in 2019.
Most of the change since 2019 is seen among those who are very confident, which has slipped seven points to 24 percent.
About six in 10 consumers pay attention to food warnings, according to the poll. About one-fourth pay “a lot” of attention to warnings and 35 percent pay “a fair amount” of attention. Less than one-fourth said they pay “some” attention and 18 percent pay “not too much” or “none at all.”
At 68 percent, women are significantly more likely than men, at 51 percent, who say they pay a “fair amount” of attention to food warnings. Attentiveness also varies by education, with 68 percent of postgraduates, 63 percent of college graduates and 64 percent of those with some college paying close attention, compared with only 50 percent of adults with no college education paying attention to warnings.
Of consumers with an annual household income of $50,000 to less than $100,000, 65 percent pay attention to food warnings, compared to those making $100,000 or more come in at 61 percent. Those earning less than $50,000 pay the least attention to warnings with only 52 percent saying warnings are important.
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