Most Americans Trust The Safety Of The Foods And Beverages They Purchase, Yet Concerns About Chemicals In Food And Packaging Persist

Three In Ten Say Food Safety Concerns Have Changed What They Buy, While Nearly Half Avoid Certain Packaging Materials

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) While most Americans trust that the foods and beverages they purchase are safe to consume, concerns about chemicals in food and food packaging continue to shape perceptions and purchasing decisions, according to new research from the International Food Information Council (IFIC).

The IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions of Chemicals in Food & Packaging explores how consumers think about food safety, chemicals, food additives, packaging materials, and risk.

Three-quarters of Americans (75%) say they at least somewhat trust that the foods and beverages they purchase are safe to consume, including one-third (34%) who strongly trust their safety. However, concerns remain widespread, with 30% reporting they have changed what foods or beverages they purchase in the past year due to safety concerns.

“Consumers are navigating a complex information environment when it comes to food safety, chemicals, and packaging,” said Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, IFIC President and CEO. “While most Americans trust the foods they purchase, this research highlights opportunities to build confidence through transparent communication, science-based education, and clear explanations of how food safety decisions are made.”

More Americans trust themselves (79%) and farmers and ranchers (73%) to help ensure food safety, compared to other stakeholders across the food system, including grocery stores and retailers (61%), food scientists (59%), restaurants and cafeterias (57%), and food and beverage manufacturers (56%). Government agencies receive mixed evaluations, with 45% trusting them, 30% distrusting them, and 25% neither trusting nor distrusting.

“Trust can take years to build yet be lost in an instant. Our findings reveal an interesting pattern: Americans are more likely to trust those closest to the farm and the fork to keep food safe than many of the entities in between,” adds Kris Sollid, RD, IFIC Senior Director of Research and Consumer Insights.

Two-thirds of Americans (68%) agree that something can have the potential to cause harm while still presenting little actual risk. At the same time, many consumers also evaluate risk through a hazard-based lens. Among those who expressed a view on the relationship between risk and hazard, nearly one-quarter (23%) believe that if something can cause harm, they generally consider it high risk.

These findings suggest that while many consumers recognize the distinction between hazard and risk when it is presented directly, communicating that distinction remains a challenge.

Food and beverage packaging plays an important role in consumer decision making. Nearly half of Americans (47%) report avoiding certain food and beverage packaging materials.

Among those who do, concerns about chemical safety (54%) and potential health impacts (51%) are the primary reasons, exceeding concerns related to the environment (33%), taste (33%), or packaging performance (29%).

Despite these concerns, two-thirds (66%) of Americans say they are at least somewhat confident that chemicals and materials used in food and beverage packaging have been evaluated for safety.

When asked what would help them feel confident about packaging safety, more Americans cited transparent labeling about packaging materials and potential chemical exposure (45%) than findings from independent scientific research (35%) and information about how packaging materials are tested for safety (35%).

Concern about microplastics is widespread. More than eight in ten Americans (81%) believe microplastics are harmful to human health. Seven in ten agree that scientists are still learning about the health effects of microplastics (70%), and more than two-thirds (68%) believe microplastics are found in many foods and beverages.

The findings suggest public awareness and concern about microplastics continue to grow, even as many consumers recognize that scientific understanding of their health impacts is still evolving.

View the full survey here.

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Research Methodology

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online survey among 1,004 U.S. adults ages 18 years and older to measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about chemicals in food and food packaging. The survey was conducted February 13–22, 2026. The Bayesian confidence level for the sample is 3.5, roughly equivalent to a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.