Survey finds that seven out of 10 shoppers in the Northeast are more worried
about the safety of the food they purchase today than they were just one year
ago
DEERFIELD, Ill., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers hold local grocers twice
as accountable as manufacturers or the government when it comes to the safety
of food purchased in their stores, according to a research study released
today by EggFusion. While the study was primarily conducted to measure
consumer perceptions of egg safety and their preferences related to freshness
dating and traceability coding on eggs, it also probed attitudes and
perceptions about general food safety concerns.
The number of recent high-profile food recalls has both retailers and
consumers weary. EggFusion's research shows that nearly 60 percent of
consumers surveyed are concerned that a food safety issue similar to the
spinach and peanut butter recalls could happen with eggs. The company's
Freshness and Traceability Coding Service addresses these concerns by
providing the only method accepted by the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) for applying permanent, tamperproof freshness dates and
traceability codes to eggshells. Research also indicates that nearly one-third
of buyers who purchased eggs with Freshness and Traceability Coding would go
out of their way to continue to do so. And, 90 percent of egg buyers see value
in this service, citing that this service increases their overall opinion of
their grocery store 60 percent of the time.
"EggFusion provides retailers a simple step toward offering consumers more
insight into their food supply," said Bradley Parker, founder and chairman of
EggFusion. "Our service not only instills consumer confidence in an important
kitchen staple, it also demonstrates the retailer's dedication to enhancing
food safety for its customers."
In addition to the tamperproof freshness date found on every eggshell,
EggFusion's traceability service allows the consumer to retrieve egg-specific
production information such as where and when the egg was packaged by entering
an alphanumeric code on http://www.MyFreshEgg.com or at participating retailer
websites. Further, survey findings indicate nearly 80 percent of shoppers said
that if they could learn when and where their groceries were produced, they
would consider them safer.
"There is certainly a great deal of opportunity for any company helping
consumers feel better about the food they consume. EggFusion is committed to
doing its part to ensure that the eggs in every consumer's refrigerator are as
fresh and safe as they can be," said Parker. "The results of this study
further demonstrate the important role traceability plays in enhancing food
safety."
Survey Methodology
SurveyUSA administered telephone surveys in geographies where EggFusion
has an established footprint with the Freshness and Traceability Coding
service, including portions of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Norfolk County MA. More
than 7,000 grocery shoppers were interviewed.
About EggFusion
Founded in 2001, EggFusion provides the only USDA-accepted solution for
applying permanent, tamperproof freshness dating and traceability codes to
eggshells. Using patent-pending laser-marking technology, EggFusion promotes
freshness with two services, Freshness and Traceability Coding and On-egg
Messaging, which help strengthen relationships between the markets it serves.
EggFusion is a privately held company based in Deerfield, Ill., with a Client
Solutions Center located in Boulder, Colo. For more information, visit
http://www.EggFusion.com.
About SurveyUSA
SurveyUSA, of Verona NJ, is one of the nation's largest and most respected
research firms. SurveyUSA conducts opinion surveys for governments, agencies,
non-profits, media and commercial clients, using state-of-the-art proprietary
software. For more information, visit http://www.surveyusa.com.
Jaclyn Valrose, 312-240-3378, Jaclyn.Valrose@edelman.com
SOURCE EggFusion
Jaclyn Valrose of Edelman, +1-312-240-3378, Jaclyn.Valrose@edelman.com, for
EggFusion
