Date Published:
24 February 2008 |
Consumer survey suggests increased consumer confidence around many food issues (UK FSA)
The eighth annual Consumer Attitudes to Food Survey published today by the
Food Standards Agency, points to increased confidence among the public in the
food they are consuming and to wider food issues.
Since the initial survey in 2000, the number of people concerned about issues
such as food poisoning, additives and food safety in general has stayed steady,
but the latest survey reveals the first dip in the number of people who are
concerned about many food safety issues. The results reveal some other encouraging
trends, particularly relating to increased awareness and claimed consumption
of ‘five-a-day’.
Highlights of the latest survey relating to food safety include:
- A decrease since 2006 in concern over many food safety issues including
additives (35% down from 38%), food poisoning (36% down from 42%), GM foods
(20% down
from 25%)
- Food labels remain important to shoppers looking for a range of information
such as ‘best before’ dates, allergy advice and additives in
foods. Half of respondents said they check some form of labelling information
when
buying food
- Almost half of respondents in the survey did not know the difference between ‘use
by’ and ‘sell by’ dates on food.
Highlights relating to diet and nutrition include:
- More than three quarters (78%) of consumers are now aware that we should
be eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each
day3
and 58%, also an improvement on last year, claimed to be putting this into
practice by eating at least ‘5-a-day’.
- The amount of fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar in foods are still the
top issues of concern among consumers and the quantity of fat and salt are
the
most commonly checked for nutritional information on labels. However,
the percentage of people who are concerned about these is slightly down since
2006 - fat to 40% from 46%, saturated fat to 37% from 44%, salt to 50%
from
54%
and sugar to 39% from 43% in 2006.
- Nine out of ten respondents claimed that healthy eating is important to
them, and 87% also believed that a limited budget is not a barrier to
healthy eating,
with those aged over 50 more likely to agree with this sentiment than
any younger age group.
Andrew Wadge, Chief Scientist at the Food Standards Agency, commented:
" This
most recent survey is encouraging as it shows the majority of people do realise
how important it is to eat healthily, and many are also savvy when
it comes to shopping around and checking labels.
A dip in concern over many food safety issues could point to growing consumer
confidence in the regulation of the food industry. Alternatively, it might
indicate a decreasing awareness of the importance of food hygiene – and
this is something we will be addressing during Food Safety Week in June.
However, what appears to be a drop in concern about how much fat and salt
there is in our food, shows how critical it is that the Agency continues to
raise awareness around a healthier diet and provides clear information and
advice, backed up by scientific evidence. "
Along with monitoring awareness of key food issues, the Consumer Attitudes
Survey also tracks awareness of the FSA and its role in providing clear consumer
advice. Figures of note include:
- Consumer awareness of the FSA remains at a constant high of 82%. Trust
in the FSA is also high at 60%, up from 44% when this question was first
asked
in 2001.
- 65% of consumers are now describing themselves as confident in the Agency's
ability to protect health with regards to food safety, compared with 50%
in 2000.
- A third of consumers view the FSA as an organisation that they would go
to for information on food safety and food scares, and one in five cited
the Agency
as a source of advice on healthy eating.
News is included
on the IvyRose website to inform visitors about current health issues,
but not to endorse
any particular
view or activity. The views stated in the article above are not
necessarily those of IvyRose Ltd.. Material in this news item was released
by
the UK Food Standards Agency on 24 February 2008 and may have been
edited (e.g. in style, length, and/or for ease
of understanding
by our international readers) for inclusion here. For further information,
please visit their website using the link below.
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