How trust affects consumers’ decisions to report suspected foodborne illness

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore consumer trust in agencies, governance of food safety systems, restaurant commitment to food safety, culture and knowledge of food safety and its impact on diners’ propensity to report a foodborne illness acquired in a restaurant. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was distributed throughout the USA to diners resulting in 408 valid responses. Consumer behavior was analyzed using various methods of regression analysis and Partial Least Squares to analyze the impact individual beliefs on the propensity to report a foodborne illness. Findings Diners are more trusting of agencies and inspection mechanisms when confident that the systems are effective; trust increases in food safety when management seeks to accept responsibility and offer transparency; and consumer knowledge of food safety increases the likelihood of reporting a foodborne illness. Age and individualism impact the likelihood of reporting a foodborne illness as does age when associated with uncertainty avoidance and patronage frequency. Research limitations/implications The DOTIFS scale is a novel approach to identifying factors affecting the engagement of consumer foodborne illness reporting behavior. Practical implications The findings of this study offer practical guidance for restaurants and agencies on how each should configure communications and systems to build public trust. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in the USA to use the DOTIFS scale coupled with Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to measure the impact of diners’ trust regarding food safety surveillance and those responsible for monitoring food safety in the USA.