A Dalhousie University food safety expert is weighing in on whether the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak is driving shoppers away from fresh produce. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab examines consumer sentiment in the wake of what has become the largest Cyclospora outbreak in U.S. history, with particular concern around the lettuce category.
This matters because consumer confidence is the invisible variable that doesn't show up in supply reports — but it hits velocity numbers fast. The outbreak has already prompted Taco Bell to run a lettuce-free promotion and triggered wide media coverage, giving shoppers plenty of reasons to hesitate at the produce aisle.
Watch for a measurable dip in fresh leafy green movement at retail in coming weeks. Category managers on the leafy greens side should be monitoring scan data closely and thinking about how messaging and signage can help reassure shoppers, especially as the FDA investigation continues without a confirmed source.