A recent consumer survey conducted in Europe and the United Kingdom revealed a decline in overall trust in the food sector, despite a relatively high level of confidence in food safety.

Low Trust Levels

The EIT Food Trust Report, which surveyed 19,642 individuals from European countries, found that less than half of the consumers trust the food system. This research, conducted by Ipsos in August and September 2023, showed that only 45% of Europeans trust the quality of food, which encompasses taste, safety, health, authenticity, and sustainability.

Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), EIT Food's findings highlight that while overall trust in the food system is low, trust in the safety of food remains higher.

Confidence in Safety

The study revealed that a majority of consumers, 53%, believe the food they consume is safe, and 42% consider it authentic. Despite concerns about food safety, consumers generally feel confident in the quality of food and how it is verified.

Durk Bosma, head of thought leadership at the Future of Food Institute, noted that these findings are consistent with previous years. He pointed out that a significant portion of respondents, 23%, believe not all food is safe, though this concern does not translate to their daily food purchases.

Issues with Authenticity

For authenticity, 31% of respondents did not believe the food was genuine, while 26% remained neutral. The report suggests that consumers often rely on packaging and labels to determine authenticity, which can lead to mistrust if these sources are deemed unreliable.

A 2022 Eurobarometer on food safety in the EU found that nearly half of the respondents considered food safety important, with 41% assuming that the food they buy is safe.

Trust Issues

The EIT Food survey indicated a decline in consumer trust across various food sector actors, including farmers, producers, authorities, restaurants, and retailers. Farmers remain the most trusted group, with 65% of consumers expressing trust in them, down from 67% the previous year. Retailers followed, with half of the consumers trusting this sector, and restaurants and caterers received 48%.

Less than half of the respondents trust food producers or authorities, such as national and EU government agencies, with 27% and 32% respectively distrusting them.

Overall, consumers trust European producers to bring safe food to the market and believe the EU enforces strict regulations that producers must follow. They also recognize that authorities have the ultimate responsibility for ensuring food safety.

The 2022 Eurobarometer survey found that 8 in 10 people trust scientists for information on food safety, and around two-thirds trust national and EU institutions. (Photo: Dreamstime)