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Melanie Nuce-Hilton Identifies Communication Gaps as Primary Cause of Consumer Distrust in Food Recalls

Melanie Nuce-Hilton, Senior Vice President of Customer Success at GS1 US, stated that a communication gap, rather than a safety failure, is the primary reason many Americans are avoiding entire food categories after a recall. A survey by GS1 US found that 67% of Americans avoid an entire category after a recall, and two-thirds are hesitant to buy the same brand again. Nuce-Hilton noted that the volume of recalls can be misleading, as many are preemptive or responsive to specific adverse events. To address these issues, GS1 US is working with the food industry to transition from traditional barcodes to 2D codes, such as QR codes, which can provide more detailed product information. These codes will allow consumers to be more precise in their avoidance of recalled items. Retailers have set 2027 as the target date to accept 2D codes at checkout. Additionally, a federal regulation known as FSMA Rule 204, part of the Food Traceability Rule, will go into effect in July 2028, requiring companies to maintain records from harvest to point of sale. Recent recalls include jalapeño peppers containing Salmonella, which sickened 431 people across 32 states, and iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, which was linked to a Cyclospora outbreak affecting over 11,000 people across 20 states.

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