Consumer trust in food and in stakeholders of the organic and conventional food supply chain

Trust is a fundamental factor in behavior change. It is therefore important to understand its origination, its constituents and their effects in the food system context. This study clearly shows that stakeholders in the ecological food value chain enjoy a far higher level of consumer trust than the conventional sector. Concerning trust in both production methods, farmers come first, followed by food retailers and food producers. An actor's credibility depends largely on whether the consumer is convinced that he or she can produce high-quality food and whether s/he is open, i.e. transparent. In order to increase confidence in its measures and communication, politics should not focus solely on product safety. It should be emphasized that trust often arises from the credibility of existing facts and is thus determined by a cognitive basis.