Taking safety in stride.

Considering the high noise level about food safety problems and recalls, our shoppers are surprisingly less intense about wanting safety improvements than they are about wanting coupons that last longer. The relatively low concern about safety may reflect reports that "the government is finally beginning to do something about it" or that shoppers who have been personally hit by the ripples of pain in our economy are worried more about stretching dollars than the safety of what they are buying.

There isn't much difference on safety between younger and older shoppers except for expectations about being notified. Younger shoppers are accustomed to the kind of technology that would allow retailers to maintain and search extensive purchase records. When it comes to shifting more responsibility for food safety onto consumers, those who feel they are already being careful may feel they've been had.

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