title: Trust makers, breakers and brokers: building trust in the Australian food system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The importance of consumer trust in the food supply has previously been identified, and dimensions of consumer trust in food-who they trust and the type of trust that they exhibit-has been explored. However, there is a lack of research about the mechanisms through which consumer trust in the food supply is developed, maintained, broken and repaired. This study seeks to address this gap by exploring if, and how, consumer trust in the food supply is considered by the media, food industry and governments when responding to food scares. The aim of the research is to develop models of trust building that can be implemented following food scares.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews will be undertaken with media, public relations officials and policy makers in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Participants will be recruited through purposive sampling and will be asked to discuss a hypothetical case study outlining a food incident, and any experiences of specific food scares. Models of trust development, maintenance and repair will be developed from interview data. Comment on these models will be sought from experts in food-related organizations through a Delphi study, where participants will be asked to consider the usefulness of the models. Participants' comments will be used to revise the models until consensus is reached on the suitability and usability of the models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will contribute to the literature about systems-based trust, and explore trust as a social and regulatory process. The protocol and results will be of interest and use to the food industry, food regulators, consumer advocate groups, media seeking to report food-related issues and policy makers concerned with public health and consumer health and well-being. This research represents an important contribution to the translation of the theoretical conceptualizations of trust into practical use in the context of food.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Public Health, Flinders University of South Australia, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. annabelle.wilson@flinders.edu.au
authors.forename: Annabelle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coveney
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calnan
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caraher
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D019649:Food Industry / Q000458:organization & administration; D005523:Food Supply; D006076:Government; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D008960:Models, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D035502:Trust