A report that many apples contain a cancer-causing preservative called Alar apparently had little effect on consumers. Few consumers planned to change their apple-buying habits as a result of the report. Nonetheless, sales of apples in grocery stores fell sharply in March, a month after the report was issued.

Which of the following, if true, best explains the reason for the apparent discrepancy described above?

A:In March, many grocers removed apples from their shelves in order to demonstrate concern about their customers' health.

B:Because of a growing number of food-safety warnings, consumers in March were indifferent to such warnings.

C:The report was delivered on television and also appeared in newspapers.

D:The report did not mention that any other fruit contains Alar, although the preservative is used on other fruit.

E:Public health officials did not believe that apples posed a health threat because only minute traces of Alar were present in affected apples.