Understanding Consumer Trust in the FSA and Food System

Trust in regulators and related concepts Trust in regulators and related concepts Trust in the food system and the FSA Trust in the food system and the FSA There is a lack of consensus in the literature about how to define trust.Trust is fundamentally linked to uncertainty and risk, is a belief, has rational and emotional elements, and is not always a choice. Two key types of trust are relevant to consumer trust in food and the food system: generalised social trust (trust in unknown others) and political trust (trust in government and institutions). Trustworthiness is the extent to which an organisation demonstrates trust-inspiring characteristics.Perceptions of organisational trustworthiness are driven by three factors: ability, benevolence, and integrity.Measuring trust alone may not accurately reflect the trustworthiness of large institutions.