Effects of Media Coverage on Demand

Food safety crises usually receive widespread publicity and an extensive media coverage which evidently is mainly negative. Based on previous research, the purpose of this article is to illustrate the impact of positive and negative food safety information on demand both in the short and long term. Apparently, asymmetric effects of media coverage provoke a shift in the consumers' perception of risk and, in a subsequent step, their reactions. This cycle shall be investigated and explained in detail since it improves the prospects for a prediction of consumers' reactions to food safety crises. Results will contribute to the European Commission's research project Food Risk Communication and Consumers' Trust in the Food Supply Chain - TRUST.