Reconnecting Australian consumers and producers: Identifying problems of distrust

A growing gap between the production and consumption of food has led to a decline in consumer trust in food, and a desire for increased regulation of food. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of consumer trust in food production and regulation in the wake of shifts in food technology, globalisation and production. Semi-structured interviews (n = 47) were conducted in 2009 with participants living in rural and metropolitan South Australia. Rural participants were more trusting of food production because of their direct experience with producing food than their metropolitan counterparts. Consumers' embeddedness in food production impacts their trust in food. Increasing local food production and consumption may increase consumer trust in food, and decrease consumer dependence on government regulation.

► Rural and metropolitan consumers differ in their trust in food production and procurement. ► Rural participants are more trusting of the food supply because of their experience producing food. ► Metropolitan participants feel that more regulation is needed to increase the safety of food. ► Consumers closer in proximity to the production of food are more trusting of the food supply. ► A way of increasing trust in food is to re-embed consumers in the production via local food movements.