ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews some of the experiences that have lowered consumer confidence in regulations, in authorities, and in open information and have led consumers to feel that the contract they have with the producers and sellers of food is severely biased against consumers. It argues that consumers have a low level of confidence in food producers because of two factors: practical experience and common sense. The food industry usually does an excellent job at giving consumers the good news about its products and about itself. The common sense that leads to low confidence stems from an understanding of the nature of the contract between the purchaser of a product and the seller. The Health of the Nation consultations were held as working groups under a program called the Nutrition Task Force. Agricultural policies that encourage quantity over quality have increasingly relied on agrochemical technology to boost productivity. Confidence also needs to be re-established in the machinery of decision making.
