Food Standards Agency
Sunday 5 July 2009
Safer food better business banner
AZ-Directory
What's NewRSS
What is RSS?Listen
Listen to this siteSunday 24 February 2008
fruit and veg stall
The Agency's eighth annual Consumer Attitudes to Food Survey points to increased confidence among the public about the food they are consuming.
Since the initial survey in 2000, the number of people concerned about issues such as food poisoning, additives and general food safety has been 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 ‘5-a-day’.
Back to top‘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.’
Andrew Wadge, Chief Scientist at the Food Standards Agency, said: '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.'
Findings from the four UK countries
Northern Ireland is the worst region in the UK for consuming five or more pieces of fruit and vegetables each day. More consumers in England, Scotland and Wales (59%, 54% and 50% respectively) claim to consume five or more pieces of fruit and veg each day than Northern Ireland consumers (45%).
Consumers in Northern Ireland have listed healthy eating in their top three concerns, ahead of house prices and behind crime levels and drugs.
In Scotland, almost half (45%) of respondents claimed to always or usually look at labels on products when buying them for the first time. However, compared to the rest of the UK, they are less likely always to refer to labels (25% in Scotland compared to 31% in the UK).
In Wales, nearly nine out of ten respondents claimed that healthy eating is important to them, and 88% also believed that a limited budget was not a barrier to healthy eating. There was also overwhelming agreement (83%) that parents should be strict with children and make them eat healthily.
Just over three quarters (76%) of consumers in England are now aware that they should be eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day and 50%, (also an improvement on last year), claimed to be putting this into practice by eating at least ‘5-a-day’.
Nearly half of respondents did not know the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘sell by’ dates on food. Just 54% of English respondents correctly stated the meaning of ‘use by.’ Awareness was lowest in the South West, where only 42% knew the meaning of ‘use by’ and at 66%, highest in Yorkshire and Humberside.
Click on the links below for further details of the findings across the UK.
Awareness of the Food Standards Agency
The Consumer Attitudes Survey also tracks awareness of the FSA and its role in providing clear consumer advice.
Figures of note include:
Find out what our other sites have to offer