FSA publishes consumer attitudes survey

The results from the latest tracker wave of consumer views on food issues have been published by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Every quarter, the Agency monitors changes in attitudes by asking people questions about their confidence in food safety, general food-related concerns, and their awareness of and trust in the FSA.

The research involved face to face interviews with 2,066 UK adults in early March by placing questions in the TNS consumer omnibus survey.

Awareness of the FSA was reported at 86%, the highest level since tracking began in 2001, and of this 86%, half rated the Agency as an organisation they could trust.

There was also an increase in awareness of the meat hygiene service which is now at 31%, compared to 27% in the last wave of research in December 2008.

Further research revealed an increase in the proportion of people concerned about saturated fat, from 36% to 41%. This follows an FSA campaign launched in February to raise awareness of the health risks of eating too much saturated fat.

Areas of concern included food poisoning (52%), the amount of salt, fat and sugar in food (47%, 45% and 43% respectively), and food prices (41%). Concern about food safety issues continued to fall (from 68% to 64%) and is now at the lowest level since tracking began.

Words: Maria Bracken

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