Most significant are a 16 percent drop in concern about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) – 45 percent in 2002 compared to 61 percent in 2000 – and a drop in concern about genetically modified foods – from 43 percent in 2000 to 36 percent 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. The most noteworthy of these is 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 survey are based on a representative sample of more than 3,000 consumers across the United Kingdom and reveals the views and the issues that really matter to them. Although there have been few significant changes in consumer behavior 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. In the past year there has been significant drops in concern about animal feed – 50 percent in 2001 to 41 percent in 2002.
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.”
Other findings included a decrease in the number of people describing themselves as “very” or “quite” concerned about food safety issues (from 71 percent to 68 percent); lower level of spontaneous concern about food scares, with a drop from 11 percent in 2001 to four percent in 2002; and a decrease in concern about BSE/variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which was mentioned by significantly fewer people in 2002 (45 percent) than in 2001 (55 percent).
According to survey results, women are more likely to be aware of food issues and more concerned about food safety and people between the ages of 16-25 and over 66 tend to be less knowledgeable and less concerned about food issues.
The Food Standards Agency is an independent food safety watchdog set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000 that provides advice and information to the public and government on food safety.
International Report - April 2003 Render