Americans voting for safe over cheap
Remember the days when the Good Housekeeping seal of approval or an endorsement by the American Dental Association meant something? Well, those days may be returning. According to a recent article in Business Week, some businesses are reassuring customers of the quality of their products merely by stating that they are not made in China.
After the China melamine scandal, in which tainted foods not only killed thousands of pets but made its way well into various foods in trace amounts, American consumers are growing in their mistrust of any “Red” foods.
Other companies are stepping up their own efforts to monitor all of the ingredients that go into their products. Besides IBM, there is a relatively new company with a name like a spy agency — Intertek. Based in London, the company’s services sound more like the FDA than the CIA, though. They are ensuring quality all along the supply chain, across 110 countries.
Analysts predict that the fear could reverse years of increased reliance on China for foods and/or ingredients. Sure, the price will go up, but who doesn’t want that Intertek Seal of Approval?
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_31/b4044060.htm
