Analysis from a Food Standards Agency (FSA) survey has found that people who are concerned about food prices are more likely to take food safety risks.
The data comes from a report on the Consumer insights tracker from July 2023 to March 2024. This monthly online survey monitors the behavior and attitudes of 2,000 adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on a range of food-related topics.
Findings show that financial pressures, such as the cost of living crisis and food price inflation, can drive some people to engage in unsafe behavior to save money.
In March 2024, one in four respondents said they had engaged in at least one risky eating behavior in the past month to save money, such as reducing food cooking time or turning off a refrigerator/freezer full of food.
Risky actions
The incidence of risky eating behavior was also higher among people from an ethnic minority background, among those limited by a health condition or disability, and among people under 35 years of age.
Consumers were most concerned about prices, followed by ultra-processed or over-processed food, and food poverty and inequality when confronted with various issues.
Those concerned about food affordability were more likely to report taking food safety risks to save money, such as lowering cooking temperatures or turning off a refrigerator/freezer containing food.
About three in 10 of those concerned about food affordability reported that they had eaten past their expiration dates in the past month because they couldn’t afford to buy more.
“This latest data shows that the cost of purchasing food is still a concern for most consumers. It is particularly worrying that some say they are resorting to risky food safety practices to save money,” said Michelle Patel, deputy director of analysis at the FSA.
Overall confidence in the food supply chain increased from 55 percent in July 2023 to 60 percent in March 2024. Three in four said they were confident that those involved in the supply chain ensure food is safe to eat.
More than half said they had at least some knowledge of the FSA, although the majority said they only knew a little about it. A third had heard of the FSA but knew nothing about it. Among those with some knowledge, the share who trust the agency to do its job fluctuated from 55 percent to 62 percent in March 2024.
More than three-quarters were confident that the FSA could be relied on to protect the public from food-related risks, while the same proportion were confident that it would take appropriate action against these risks. 66 percent were confident that the FSA is committed to communicating openly with the public about food-related risks.
German views
Meanwhile, a public survey in Germany showed that many people are unaware of per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS). PFAS are persistent, industrially produced compounds that can accumulate in the environment.
The Consumer Monitor is carried out by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). For the last edition, 1,000 people were interviewed in February.
Half of respondents had heard of Listeria in food, while only a quarter knew about Campylobacter. More than nine in ten people had heard about microplastics in food, genetically modified food and antibiotic resistance.
About two-thirds were concerned about microplastics in food and antibiotic resistance. A quarter were concerned about Listeria in food and 12 percent were concerned about Campylobacter.
60 percent felt well informed about food hygiene at home, 52 percent said food purchased in Germany is safe, and 14 percent said it is not safe. Forty percent said the safety of food products tends to increase, 37 percent said it stays the same and 22 percent said it tends to decrease.
“The Consumer Monitor shows that awareness and concerns about certain consumer issues remain surprisingly stable. It also consistently shows that man-made risks are considered more dangerous than natural risks,” said BfR President Professor Andreas Hensel.
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