America’s Cyclospora outbreak is no longer just a food-safety story. It is becoming a consumer confidence crisis and supermarkets, restaurants and food distributors are paying the price.

The outbreak, linked to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, has now reached 15 states, with Michigan alone reporting more than 12,000 cases and two deaths. Nationally, the number of reported Cyclospora infections this year has passed 25,000, more than five times the previous U.S. record set in 2019.

The effects are showing up in stores and restaurants, with the week-over-week decline in U.S. fresh lettuce unit sales in the week ending July 18 at 9% according to NielsenIQ data, while Taco Bell foot traffic plunged after the chain became associated with the outbreak, and salad specialist Sweetgreen has cut its full-year comparable-sales forecast to a 7%-8% decline.

Dollar sales of prepackaged salads also fell by 14% over the four weeks ended July 25 compared with the year-prior period, according to further NielsenIQ........

© Forbes