The results of a survey conducted for the U.K. Food Standards Agency (FSA) by MORI, an independent polling company in the United Kingdom, showed that the level of concern about BSE has fallen by almost a quarter since 2000, from 66 percent then to 44 percent in 2004. In comparison, the number of Britons who claimed to eat five portions of fruits and vegetables a day, as recommended by FSA for a healthy diet, increased from 26 percent in 2000 to 51 percent of all consumers in 2004.
“Over the last five years, the trend among consumers has been towards healthier eating and an increase in demand for reliable and practical information on all aspects of nutrition, food, and health,” said Gill Fine, director of Consumer Choice and Dietary Health at FSA. “People are more worried about levels of salt, fat, and sugar in food and the accuracy of food labels, and less concerned about issues like BSE.”
The survey also showed that concern over the safety of raw beef has fallen dramatically, from 53 percent of all U.K. consumers in 2000, to 36 percent in 2004. However, concern about the accuracy of food labeling rose from 35 percent in 2000 to 44 percent in 2004. MORI conducted 3,229 interviews among a representative sample of the U.K. population.
To meet the growing demand for information about nutrition and healthy eating, the FSA launched a new Web site – www.food.gov.uk/eatwell – dedicated to providing reliable and practical advice on all aspects of food, diet, and health, as well as helpful tips on topics such as understanding food labels.
June 2005 Render