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This research project aims to identify the most effective communication approaches to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) comply with food law.
Study Duration : March 2002 to August 2003
Contractor : Momenta (AEA Technology)
This project was commissioned to identify and evaluate the most effective communication approaches in terms of helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) comply with food law and recommend approaches and tools, to help businesses overcome barriers to compliance.
The project was divided into the following stages:
Aims
The project had two over-arching objectives. The first was to identify which communication channels SMEs in food retail and catering find most useful and evaluate how they act upon different types of communication. The second objective was to develop pilot approaches and tools that the Agency could use to more effectively communicate important food hygiene regulation and best practice information to SME food businesses.
Approach
The project was broken down into distinct tasks, each with their own specific aims. Task 1 was desk research. This sought to identify the key legal issues which affect different types of SME food businesses, review the current range and suitability of existing communications materials and identify how information is currently delivered to the end-user. Task 2 was field and telephone research. Telephone surveys of over 200 respondents and 8 focus groups with SME food businesses, Environmental Health Officers, business support organisations and suppliers were conducted. Task 3 was analysis. This sought to analyse the data gathered from the field and telephone surveys to identify the critical success factors for effective communication mechanisms to help SMEs take action to comply with legal requirements and follow best practice. Tasks 4 and 5 were market testing and reporting.
Outcomes
The desk research identified 4 key points for effective communication with SMEs:
At the end of Task 3 the contractors identified 3 barriers to effective communication: cultural and attitudinal, regulatory, and comprehension (e.g. language barriers). At the end of the project a mixture of 'hard' deliverable outputs and 'soft' effect outputs were identified:
Deliverable Outcomes
Seven
Fact Sheets
covering food-related practices in a range of religions and cultures;
A pilot Access 2000 database of ethnic minority intermediary contacts.
Effect Outcomes
The results from tasks 1 to 3 showed that one of the most effective ways for getting information across was to go via intermediary groups (such as trade associations, community groups, etc.) The research also identified that one of the most difficult groups of SME food businesses to communicate with were those run or managed by ethnic minorities. The contractors developed a pilot database network of ethnic minority intermediary groups who would be able to disseminate Agency information about food hygiene regulations and best practice to their members. The pilot database concentrated on business support organisations offering advice to people of Asian origin in the West Midlands area. The project team also collated data on relevant media and broadcast that might be able to communicate Agency messages to the target audience.
Significance
This research project has made a small step in trying to understand what motivators and barriers exist for SME food businesses in carrying out good food hygiene practice. The Agency can build upon this research to develop effectively targeted information for the SME food business sector.
The final report is available from the FSA Library and Information centre.
To obtain a copy, please contact the Enquiry Desk, Dr Elsie Widdowson Library and Information Services, Food Standards Agency ( tel: 020 7276 8181/8182 or email:
library&info@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
)
The results of the project were disseminated at the 'Food Law Enforcement - Learning from Others' Seminar held at Warwick, 6 and 7 September 2004.
Contact
:
Email
: science@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
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