TL;DR: Three-quarters of U.S. adults trust the foods and beverages they buy, yet 30% changed purchases over safety worries and 47% avoid certain packaging, according to the June 18, 2026 IFIC Spotlight Survey.

Survey snapshot: confidence paired with caution

The International Food Information Council released new consumer research in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 2026, showing broad trust alongside persistent unease about chemicals in food and packaging. The project, titled IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans' Perceptions of Chemicals in Food & Packaging, examined views on safety, additives, packaging materials, and risk, according to the IFIC press release titled Most Americans Trust The Safety Of The Foods And Beverages They Purchase, Yet Concerns About Chemicals In Food And Packaging Persist.

Three-quarters of respondents, or 75%, said they at least somewhat trust that the foods and beverages they purchase are safe to consume. One-third, or 34%, said they strongly trust that safety, according to that IFIC press release.

Smaller shares expressed distrust. Ten percent said they somewhat distrust the safety of items they purchase, while 4% said they strongly distrust that safety. Twelve percent said they neither trust nor distrust, according to the survey report detailed in the IFIC research page titled IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans' Perceptions Of Chemicals In Food And Packaging.

Trust in personal purchases was higher than confidence in the national supply. The survey report noted that 55% of Americans in the 2025 IFIC Food & Health Survey were at least somewhat confident in the safety of the U.S. food supply, compared with 75% expressing at least somewhat trust in foods and beverages they personally purchase in the new poll.

IFIC President and CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, said consumers face a complicated information setting around safety, chemicals, and packaging. She said the results point to chances to strengthen confidence through open communication, science-based education, and clearer explanation of safety decisions, according to the June 18 IFIC press release.

Three in ten say safety concerns changed buying

Purchasing behavior has shifted for a sizable minority. Thirty percent of Americans said they changed food or beverage purchasing habits during the past year because of safety concerns, according to the IFIC press release.

Most respondents, or 65%, said they had not made such a change in the past year. Another 6% said they were not sure, according to the survey report summarized on the IFIC research page.

The report framed those shifts against wider attention to ingredients and additives. It said discussions about food safety as well as additives and ingredients have become more visible, and some shoppers may be reconsidering choices, according to that IFIC research page.

That behavioral signal matters for nutrition guidance. The 30% figure shows concern is not only abstract, because nearly one-third linked worry to a different basket. The 65% majority indicates stability for most households over the same 12-month period.

Who Americans trust to keep food safe

Trust differed markedly across people and institutions in the food system. Respondents placed the most confidence in themselves and in producers closest to agriculture, according to the IFIC press release.

Nearly eight in ten, or 79%, said they trust themselves to help ensure foods and beverages are safe to consume. Forty-seven percent said they strongly trust themselves in that role, according to the survey report.

Farmers and ranchers ranked second. Seventy-three percent trusted farmers and ranchers to help ensure safety, including 30% who strongly trusted them, according to the same report.

Other food-system participants received moderate ratings. Grocery stores and other food retailers were trusted by 61%, food scientists by 59%, restaurants and cafeterias by 57%, and food and beverage manufacturers by 56%, according to the IFIC press release.

Government agencies received the most divided assessment. Forty-five percent said they trusted government agencies to help ensure safety, 30% said they distrusted them, and 25% said they neither trusted nor distrusted them, according to the IFIC press release.

IFIC Senior Director of Research and Consumer Insights Kris Sollid, RD, said trust can require years to establish and can disappear quickly. He said Americans were more inclined to rely on those nearest the farm and the fork than on many participants in the middle, according to the June 18 IFIC press release.

The report described that pattern as stronger confidence at the ends of the farm-to-fork chain and softer confidence in organizations and institutions between those ends, according to the IFIC research page.

Hazard versus risk remains difficult to communicate

Risk perception showed both understanding and inconsistency. Two-thirds of Americans, or 68%, agreed that something with potential to cause harm, defined as a hazard, can still present little actual risk, according to the IFIC press release.

At the same time, many respondents judged safety by presence of a hazard rather than likelihood of harm. Among respondents who stated a view about the link between risk and hazard, nearly one-quarter, or 23%, said that if something can cause harm they generally view it as high risk, according to that IFIC press release.

The research page said concerns appeared to reflect the existence of a possible hazard more than the probability of injury. It also said 68% recognized that a potential hazard may carry limited real-world risk, while communication of that distinction remains challenging.

For health professionals, that split creates a practical task. A direct statement about hazard and risk drew agreement from a large majority, yet almost one in four of those with an opinion still equated possible harm with high risk. The result suggests education must repeat the difference between what could happen in theory and what is likely under actual exposure.

Natural versus manufactured additives divide shoppers

Food additives remained an area of doubt. Six in ten respondents, or 61%, said natural food additives are safer than manufactured versions, according to the survey report.

Fewer than half expressed confidence in oversight. Forty-six percent said food additives are carefully studied and regulated for safety, according to that report.

A similar share linked regulatory review to safety. Forty-five percent said approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration means a food additive is safe to consume, according to the survey report.

Those three numbers describe a knowledge gap relevant to daily eating decisions. A majority favored natural additives, while less than half endorsed statements about study, regulation, or FDA approval. The pattern suggests many shoppers use origin as a shortcut when the review process seems unclear.

The report said additives continue to create uncertainty for many Americans. It connected that uncertainty to broader worries about ingredients, contaminants, and packaging that persisted even among respondents who trusted their own purchases.

Packaging avoidance centers on chemical safety

Packaging influenced decisions for nearly half the public. Forty-seven percent of Americans said they avoid certain food and beverage packaging materials, according to the IFIC press release.

Health-related motives led among avoiders. Fifty-four percent cited chemical safety and 51% cited potential health impacts as reasons for avoidance, according to that IFIC press release.

Environmental and sensory reasons ranked lower. Thirty-three percent cited the environment, 33% cited taste, and 29% cited packaging performance, according to the same IFIC press release.

Confidence in packaging review remained higher than avoidance might imply. Two-thirds, or 66%, said they were at least somewhat confident that chemicals and materials used in food and beverage packaging have been evaluated for safety, according to the IFIC press release.

That combination defines the current consumer stance. Nearly one in two steers away from selected materials, while two in three still express at least some confidence that materials have undergone safety evaluation. Avoidance therefore reflects selective caution rather than wholesale rejection.

Clear labels top list for building packaging confidence

Respondents identified what might increase their assurance. Forty-five percent said transparent labeling about packaging materials and possible chemical exposure would help them feel confident about packaging safety, according to the IFIC press release.

Independent science and testing information followed. Thirty-five percent cited findings from independent scientific research, and 35% cited information about how packaging materials are tested for safety, according to that IFIC press release.

The ordering carries a message for manufacturers and retailers. Label disclosure at 45% outranked research findings and testing explanations, each at 35%, as a confidence aid. Shoppers sought direct material information on the package more than general summaries of studies.

Microplastics draw widespread concern

Microplastics generated some of the strongest worry in the poll. More than eight in ten Americans, or 81%, said microplastics are harmful to human health, according to the IFIC press release.

Awareness of limits in knowledge was also high. Seven in ten, or 70%, agreed that scientists are still learning about health effects of microplastics, according to that IFIC press release.

Exposure beliefs were common. More than two-thirds, or 68%, said microplastics are present in many foods and beverages, according to the same IFIC press release.

The report said public awareness and concern continue to expand even as many consumers recognize that scientific understanding is still developing. That dual view — strong belief in harm alongside recognition of ongoing study — shapes how packaging and processing news may be received.

How the survey was conducted

The International Food Information Council commissioned an online survey of 1,004 U.S. adults ages 18 years and older. Interviews took place from February 13 through February 22, 2026, and results were weighted to support proportional representation, according to the IFIC research page titled IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans' Perceptions Of Chemicals In Food & Packaging.

The Bayesian confidence level for the sample of 1,004 was 3.5, roughly equal to a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, according to the IFIC press release.

Totals in the report may not sum to 100% because of rounding. Statistically significant differences were noted where appropriate, with comparisons made only within each demographic grouping such as age, race, or gender, according to the survey report.

Sources referenced