Survey by Food Standards Agency shows drop in concern over BSE and food safety
Monday 17 February 2003
And reveals attitudes of Midlands to food issues
Ref: 2003/0326
The third annual UK Consumer Attitudes to Food survey, published on 17th February by the Food Standards Agency, reveals a small but significant decrease in concern about food safety across the UK - from 71% in 2000 to 68% in 2002 - and an overall decline in the number of people with concerns about specific food issues.
Most significant are a 16% fall in concern by UK consumers about BSE (45% in 2002 compared to 61% in 2000), and a fall in concern about GM foods - from 43% in 2000 to 36% in 2002.
The 2002 survey highlights a number of trends that have emerged since the first Consumer Attitudes to Food survey was carried out in 2000, including a small but steady decline in concern over the safety of meat, with a significant decrease in concern about types of meat such as beef, pork, lamb, and raw meat over the past three years.
The results of the Consumer Attitudes to Food survey are based on a representative sample of consumers across the UK and reveals the views and the issues that really matter to them. Although there have been few significant changes in consumer behaviour over the past year, particularly with regards to nutrition, diet and shopping habits, the survey does show that consumers are slowly becoming more confident about food safety and standards. The survey also shows that compared to other English regions, consumers in the Midlands are:
- Most concerned about particular food issues (joint with SE) (88%)
- Most likely to have eaten at least 5 fruit or vegetables the previous day (joint with SW) (35%)
- Least likely to regularly eat fresh fish (42%)
- Least likely to have washed their hands before preparing food (91%)
Confidence in the role played by the Food Standards Agency has also increased significantly. 79% of consumers in the Midlands are now claiming to be aware of the Agency, an increase of 21% since 2000.
Sir John Krebs, Chairman of the Food Standards Agency, said:
'The small but steady decline in public concern about food safety and some important food issues is extremely positive news, both for consumers and the Food Standards Agency'.
'In the past three years we have made some headway in the journey to earning public confidence and trust. This annual survey, by continuing to highlight changing opinion about the issues that matter most to consumers, is a valuable contribution to the continuing public debate on food safety and standards'.
Summary of findings of the UK Consumer Attitudes to Food survey:
Food safety
Significant decrease in the number of people describing themselves as 'very' or 'quite' concerned about food safety issues (from 71% to 68%)
Lower level of spontaneous concern about food scares, with a fall from 11% in 2001 to 4% in 2002
Decrease in concern about BSE/vCJD, which was mentioned by significantly fewer people in 2002 (45%) than in 2001 (55%)
Food hygiene
No change (50%) of people expressing concern about hygiene in any type of catering outlet
Significant increase in the number of people concerned about fast food outlets (from 18% in 2001 to 23% in 2002)
Fall in concern about safety and hygiene standards of market stalls selling meat and local butchers
Concern about hygiene in a particular catering outlet continues to lead to consumers not using that outlet again, but only 7% consumers were likely to report their concerns to anyone in 2002, a fall from 11% in 2001
Food poisoning
No change in the number of people claiming to have suffered from food poisoning in 2002 (13%).
As in 2001, this figure is lowest in Northern Ireland
The majority of those who suffered from food poisoning (75%) attributed their illness to food prepared outside the home
As in 2000 and 2001, the majority of those who were ill did not report their illness to anyone
Food labelling
As in previous years, 25% of consumers still believe that food labels contain too little information
Understanding of information on food labels remains poor, with one in five consumers finding labels 'fairly difficult' to understand, and one in twenty finding them 'very difficult'
Significant increase in numbers of people looking for information about calories on food labels, from 21% in 2000 to 29% in 2002
Significant decrease in numbers of people looking for information on whether or not a product is of GM origin, from 25% in 2000 to 20% in 2002
No change in comprehension of use by/best before date label or ability to identify the main ingredient on a food label
Healthy eating and nutrition
Significant increase in numbers of people with knowledge of the '5 a day' message - from 43% in 2000 to 52% in 2002, but knowledge by social grade shows that understanding has increased most amongst AB's (70% in 2002) and least amongst DE's (39% in 2002)
Scottish consumers had the highest level of awareness of the 5 a day message (56%), whilst Welsh consumers had the least awareness (48%).
Despite an increase in knowledge, only 27% of consumers claim to have eaten five or more portions of fruit and vegetables yesterday
No change in numbers of people claiming to regularly eat a healthy diet
Shopping and eating habits
As in previous years, only 5% of UK households has one or more member who is vegetarian or on a special diet. Vegetarianism is most common in the South East of England
Consumers in the South of England are most likely to eat organic food
Food Standards Agency
In 2002, 76% of consumers said they were aware of FSA, a significant increase from 71% in 2001 and 58% in 2000
The number of people rating the FSA as a 'very reliable' source of information increased significantly in 2002 to 51%, from 22% in 2000. An additional 37% considered the Agency to be 'fairly reliable' in 2002
There was an increase in the number of consumers who believe that the FSA is a trustworthy organisation, provides clear information and puts consumers first
Key differences across groups
Women are more likely to be aware of food issues and more concerned about food safety
People between the ages of 16-25 and over 66 tend to be less knowledgeable and less concerned about food issues
Note
Research for the Consumer Attitudes to Food survey 2002 was carried out between September and October 2002 by Taylor Nelson Sofres for the Food Standards Agency. A total of 3173 consumers were interviewed face-to-face in their homes using CAPI technology.
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