Ewing, N.J. – September 04, 2026 -- Ninety-four percent of U.S. adults say they are concerned about the frequency of food recalls, up from 93% in 2025, according to a new consumer survey commissioned by GS1 US. Confidence in recall effectiveness has simultaneously dropped, with only 80% of respondents believing recalls protect public health, down from 85% a year earlier.
Consumers increasingly avoid entire product categories after recalls
Sixty-seven percent of consumers said they avoided an entire food product category following a recall, up from 60% in 2025. Sixty-six percent reported hesitancy to repurchase the same product or brand, compared with 59% last year, while 59% discarded recalled food even when their own state or region was unaffected, up from 57%. Women showed sharper pullback than men, with 71% avoiding a whole category versus 63% of men.
Only 9% of shoppers permanently reject a recalled brand
Just 9% of consumers said they would never purchase a recalled brand again. Among those willing to reconsider, key factors influencing repurchase included time elapsed since the recall (39%), severity of contamination (39%), and recommendations from authorities (35%).
GS1 US CEO Bob Carpenter calls for more precise recall response
"The challenge is making recall response more precise so companies can quickly identify and remove affected products while giving consumers clearer information about what is—and is not—impacted," said Bob Carpenter, president and CEO of GS1 US. He said traceability, supported by common standards and better data sharing across the supply chain, is essential to addressing the trust gap.
FDA's FSMA Section 204 traceability rule takes effect July 20, 2028
The U.S. FDA's Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Section 204 Food Traceability Rule will require companies handling high-risk foods, including leafy greens and eggs listed on the FDA's Food Traceability List, to maintain Key Data Elements tied to Critical Tracking Events. Affected firms must provide this information to the FDA within 24 hours of a request.
GS1 US ties 2D barcode rollout to recall management use case
GS1 US is guiding food industry preparation through its FSMA Rule 204 Implementation Guideline. As adoption of 2D barcodes, including QR Codes powered by GS1, expands ahead of Sunrise 2027 at checkout, the organization said richer product data such as batch or lot information could give trading partners and shoppers more precise information when safety issues arise.