FSA finds link between food prices and risky behaviors

Analysis of a Food Standards Agency (FSA) survey has found people worried about food prices are more likely to take food safety risks.

Data comes from a report on the Consumer Insights Tracker covering 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 various food-related topics.

Findings indicate that financial pressures, such as the cost-of-living crisis and food price inflation, might be driving some people to engage in unsafe behaviors to save money.

In March 2024, one in four respondents said they had done at least one risky food behavior in the past month to save money, such as reducing the time food is cooked or turning off a fridge/freezer containing food.

Risky actions
Incidence of risky food behaviors was also higher among those from an ethnic minority background, those limited by a health condition or disability, and people aged under 35. 

Consumers were most concerned about prices, followed by ultra-processed, or the over-processing, of food and food poverty and inequality when prompted with different issues.

Those worried about food affordability were more likely to report taking food safety risks to save money, such as lowering the cooking temperature or turning off a fridge/freezer containing food.

Around three in 10 of those worried about food affordability reported eating items past the use-by date in the past month because they couldn’t afford to buy more.

“This latest data shows that the cost of buying food is still a worry for most consumers. It is particularly concerning 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 has 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 that food is safe to eat.

More than half said they have at least some knowledge of the FSA, although the majority said they know only a little about it. A third had heard of the FSA but knew nothing about it. Among those with some knowledge, the proportion that trusts 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 can be relied upon to protect the public from food-related risks, while the same proportion were confident it takes appropriate action on 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 found that many people are not aware of Per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFAS). PFAS are persistent industrially produced compounds that can accumulate in the environment.

The Consumer Monitor is conducted by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). For the latest edition, 1,000 people were interviewed in February.

Half of the respondents had heard about Listeria in food, while only a quarter knew about Campylobacter. More than nine in 10 had heard about microplastics in food, genetically modified food, and antibiotic resistance.

Around 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 bought 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 remains the same, and 22 said it tends to decrease.

“The Consumer Monitor shows that awareness and concern about certain consumer issues remain surprisingly stable. It also consistently shows that man-made risks are considered more dangerous than natural ones,” said BfR president Professor Andreas Hensel.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)