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Understanding Shoppers with Food Allergies

Shoppers with food allergies in their household are uniquely concerned about safety in the food and beverage industry
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July 10, 2025 at 5:00 am UTC

Key Takeaways

  • Households with food allergies look a lot like the general population. The biggest differences between this cohort and the public is they skew younger, higher-earning and urban.

  • 72% of shoppers with food allergies in their household are concerned about food safety, 10 points higher than adults in general.

  • 42% of food allergy shoppers say they distrust packaged foods, the highest share of any sector in the food and beverage industry surveyed.

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The average American is concerned about food safety, with recent recalls raising flags amongst shoppers and diners. But food poisoning, while certainly unpleasant, is not fatal for the vast majority of those who contract it. Concerns about contamination, however, are a very different story for those with food allergies.  

Food allergy families skew younger, middle-income and urban

Theories about what causes food allergies vary, but they’re not confined to one particular demographic. In fact, the demographic profile of consumers with food allergies in their household is similar to the U.S. in general. Of course, this group is not solely representative of those with allergies themselves: 65% of the cohort say it’s they themselves who have an allergy, while others say it’s their spouse, partner, child or someone else. That said, often families change their eating habits to account for a household member with an allergy, particularly if it’s a severe one. So it’s safe to assume that many of these consumers are at least considering food allergies in their shopping and consumption, even if not for themselves.

Households with food allergies skew young and urban

Demographic profile of adults with food allergies in their household
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The gap between the dots and the bars shows whether each group is over- or underrepresented among those who say they have food allergies in their household compared with the general population. If the bar is taller than the dot, that demographic comprises a larger percentage of gamers than the public, and vice versa.
Survey conducted Mar. 12-13, 2025, among 2,201 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points

There are some subtle differences in demographics, the biggest difference being between older and younger generations. Millennials and Gen Zers are overrepresented in the food allergy group compared with Gen Xers and baby boomers. The same is true for urbanites and middle-income families.

In some cases, the difference might be a matter of diagnosis. With awareness of food allergies more prevalent now than in the past, it may simply be true that more young people are aware of a specific trigger. Similarly, urban dwellers or those in middle-income households may have better access to diagnostic healthcare to identify an allergy. Either way, these consumers are slightly more likely to be attuned to messaging around allergens and the overall contamination of food products.

Food allergy families are more safety conscious than others

The share of consumers with food allergies is no small number. And while there is a spectrum of severity when it comes to allergies, for many of these consumers an unexpected or unlabeled ingredient can prove to be incredibly dangerous. As a result, this group is comparatively more concerned about food safety than the general public. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of those with food allergies in their household are “somewhat” or “very” concerned about food safety in general, compared with 62% of U.S. adults in general.

Notably though, this concern doesn’t translate to a lack of trust in the food and beverage industry. Among those with food allergies in the household, 20% say they trust the industry to provide safe products “a lot” — the same share as the general public. And while they’re 2 points less likely to say they trust the industry “some,” it falls within the margin of error, reflecting an overall alignment with U.S. adults as a whole.

Food allergy shoppers are concerned about safety, but remain trusting in the food industry

Share of respondents who say they are concerned about food safety, and how much they trust the food & beverage industry to provide safe products
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Survey conducted Mar. 12-13, 2025, among 2,201 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points.

While trust in the industry as a whole may not be a concern, it’s not equal for all sectors of the industry. Consumers with allergies in their households are more likely to trust than not overall, but the sector with the biggest lack of trust is packaged foods. It’s logical for this group, who are less likely to find a hidden or unmarked allergen in fresh produce than packaged cereal, but a stark reminder for brands in this category to clearly label and communicate any potential allergens to avoid issues and continue to build trust.

Packaged food is the most concerning sector for those with allergies in the household

Trust in sectors of the food industry among consumers with food allergies in their household
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Survey conducted Mar. 12-13, 2025, among 2,201 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points.

One other noteworthy point is that food allergy families are equally concerned about potential undisclosed allergens at restaurants as they are in packaged food. This suggests that brands across all sectors of the industry need to be aware of these concerns and be prepared to clearly communicate ingredient lists to concerned consumers.

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Lindsey Roeschke is an analyst whose work focuses on behavior and expectations of consumers in the travel & hospitality and food & beverage categories, particularly through a generational and cultural lens. Prior to joining Morning Consult, she served as a director of consumer and culture analysis at Gartner. In addition to her research and advisory background, Lindsey has more than a decade of experience in the advertising world. She has lived and worked in seven cities across four continents.

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