Consumer Food Traceability & Origin Transparency Study

Welcome to this survey about food shopping and product information. This survey takes approximately 7–9 minutes and asks about your grocery shopping habits, how you evaluate food products, and your preferences for product information. There are no right or wrong answers—we are interested in your honest opinions. Your participation is completely voluntary, and you may stop at any time. All responses are confidential, will be anonymized, and reported only in aggregate. Results will be used for research purposes to improve how food product information is communicated to consumers. By proceeding, you confirm that you are 18 years of age or older and consent to participate.

How often do you buy groceries for your household?

• Several times per week
• About once per week
• Two to three times per month
• About once per month or less
• I rarely or never buy groceries

<p>How much do you trust the following source for food origin information: <strong>product packaging labels</strong> (e.g., country-of-origin labels)?</p>

If detailed traceability information were available for food products in-store, which of the following would you be likely to do? Select up to 3.

• Switch to brands with clearer traceability
• Pay a bit more for those products
• Buy those products more often
• Share or recommend to others
• It wouldn't change my shopping behavior
• I would need to try it first before deciding

Based on your responses in this survey, is there anything else you'd like to share about how you evaluate food origin or transparency when shopping?

What is your age?

• 18–24
• 25–34
• 35–44
• 45–54
• 55–64
• 65+
• Prefer not to say

Thank you for completing this survey. Your responses will help improve how food origin and transparency information is provided to consumers. Your answers are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate.

Who mainly decides which groceries to buy in your household?

• I am the primary decision-maker
• We decide equally
• Someone else is the primary decision-maker

<p>How much do you trust the following source for food origin information: <strong>third-party certification organizations</strong> (e.g., Fairtrade, USDA Organic)?</p>

What, if anything, makes you less likely to check food origin or traceability information today? Select all that apply.

• I don't know where to find it
• I don't trust the information
• It takes too much time
• It's not relevant to me
• It's hard to understand
• Privacy or data use concerns
• I don't have a smartphone handy
• Nothing—I regularly check this information
• Other (please specify)

We'd like to understand your perspective more deeply. An AI moderator will ask you a couple of follow-up questions about your food origin and transparency preferences.

What is your gender?

• Woman
• Man
• Non-binary
• Prefer to self-describe
• Prefer not to say

In the past 3 months, where have you looked for information about where a food product came from? Select all that apply.

• Origin or country-of-origin label on the package
• QR code on the package
• Brand website
• Retailer's app or website
• Third-party certification labels (e.g., Fairtrade, USDA Organic)
• In-store signage or shelf tags
• Social media (e.g., brand posts or influencers)
• None of these

<p>How much do you trust the following source for food origin information: <strong>brand or manufacturer websites</strong>?</p>

Would you pay more for food products with independently verified origin and traceability information?

• No, I would not pay extra
• Yes, up to 5% more
• Yes, 6–10% more
• Yes, 11–20% more
• Yes, more than 20% more
• Not sure

Where do you currently live?

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• European Union
• Australia or New Zealand
• Latin America
• Middle East or North Africa
• Sub-Saharan Africa
• East Asia
• South Asia
• Other

In the past 3 months, how often have you scanned a QR code on a food package?

• Multiple times per week
• About weekly
• A few times per month
• Once in the last 3 months
• Not in the last 3 months

<p>How much do you trust the following source for food origin information: <strong>retailers</strong> (e.g., in-store signage, retailer apps)?</p>

Rank the following benefits by how important they are to you when choosing food products.

1. Knowing the product's country or region of origin
2. Confidence in food safety and quality
3. Supporting ethical or sustainable sourcing
4. Getting fresher or higher-quality products
5. Supporting local farmers or producers
6. Transparency about ingredients and processing

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• High school or less
• Some college or associate degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctorate or professional degree
• Trade/technical/vocational training
• Prefer not to say

<p>How much do you trust the following source for food origin information: <strong>government or regulatory agencies</strong>?</p>

In a typical month, roughly what share of your grocery spending goes to products that display origin information?

• None (0%)
• A small share (1–25%)
• Some (26–50%)
• Most (51–75%)
• Nearly all (76–100%)
• I'm not sure

What is your current employment status?

• Employed full-time
• Employed part-time
• Self-employed
• Homemaker or caregiver
• Student
• Unemployed and looking
• Unemployed and not looking
• Retired
• Prefer not to say

When buying groceries in the past 3 months, how important was having clear information about a product's origin?

How many people live in your household, including you?

• 1 (just me)
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5 or more
• Prefer not to say

Thinking about your usual grocery store, how clear and easy to read were the origin labels on food products in the past 3 months?

Rank the following product journey details from most to least important to you.

1. Where it was grown or raised
2. Processing or packing facility location
3. Harvest or production date
4. Transportation distance or route
5. Certification or animal welfare standards
6. Batch or lot number