Which type of cost would include long-term negative consumer perceptions?

Indirect costs encompass expenses that are not directly tied to a specific product or service but can still significantly affect a business's financial performance. Long-term negative consumer perceptions can lead to reputational damage, which may indirectly impact sales, operational costs, and revenue generation. While the direct costs relate to specific identifiable expenses for goods or services, such as production costs, indirect costs include more abstract effects like diminished brand value, loss of customer loyalty, or increased marketing expenditures aimed at repairing damage to reputation.

By categorizing long-term negative consumer perceptions as indirect costs, it highlights how such perceptions can lead to broader financial consequences that may not be immediately quantifiable but are crucial for understanding a company's overall risk and stability.