Standing at the meat counter at a Mariano's grocery store in Chicago, a half-dozen customers bantered with the butchers about the recent World Health Organization (WHO) report linking processed meat to colorectal cancer.
"Give me two pounds (0.9 kg) of bacon," said Roland Marks, 47, a software engineer, rolling his eyes. "I'll take my chances."
It is too early for consumer or retail market data to show what any longer term impacts of the report will be in the United States, or whether shoppers will shun the traditional Christmas ham this year, say industry analysts.
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