Food Standards Agency 2006 Wales Survey reveals consumers are taking a healthy interest in their food and diet

The 2006 Wales survey also published today highlights a number of diet and health trends that have emerged since 2000, these include:

• When set in the broader context of concerns that face people today, healthy eating was seen as a moderately important issue for consumers; ranked alongside house prices and the household finances. Only a minority (12%) felt that healthy eating was not important to them (1)
• There was a strong feeling that budget is not a barrier to healthy eating and that parents should accept responsibility for making their children eat healthily. Three-fifths of parents claimed they were trying to reduce their children's consumption of less healthy options, with over a third concerned about foods aimed at children and one-fifth concerned about the nutritional content of school meals (2)
• Nutritional information – particularly the amount of salt, fat and sugar in food – continues to be the most looked for aspect of food labels according to 72% of respondents who claim to use food labels when buying a product for the first time
• With regards to fruit & vegetables, knowledge of the '5-a-day' message continues to increase, with 74% aware this year
• While two-fifths (42%) claimed to have eaten between meals on the previous day, fresh fruit (34%) was chosen by more people who had snacked than less healthy options such as cakes/biscuits (30%) or crisps & savoury snacks (23%).

Joy Whinney, Director of Food Standards Agency Wales says: 'It's encouraging that the Agency's research shows that healthy eating is important to Welsh consumers and their families, with many parents trying to reduce their children's consumption of less healthy options. Over half of consumers always or usually use food labels when buying a product for the first time, although almost half find it difficult to know whether a product is healthy - or not - from the label.

'It's also reassuring that the majority of consumers who are aware of the FSA, rate it as an organisation they feel they can trust with a rising number of consumers saying they are confident in the role played by the FSA regarding food safety issues.'

Along with tracking awareness of key food issues, the 2006 Consumer Attitudes Survey also highlighted a rising consumer awareness of the FSA and its role in providing clear consumer advice. Figures of note include:

• Consumer awareness of the FSA now stands at a new high of 85% after increasing steadily since 2000
• There has been a substantial increase from 2001, in the number of consumers who believe the FSA is an organisation that they can trust (3)
• There has been a substantial increase from 2000, in the number of consumers who described themselves as confident about the Agency's role in protecting health with regard to food safety (4)
• The perception of the FSA's attitude towards consumers has improved significantly. 53% of the sample gave the Agency a positive rating in terms of 'putting consumers first' (5)
• A substantial increase in the number of consumers who believe that the FSA provides clear information and advice (6)

(1) Respondents were given a list of 13 possible concerns and asked to select their top three. 16% of respondents selected 'healthy eating' as one of their top three, which meant it was the eighth most selected response. House prices were selected by 17% of respondents, and household finances by 16% of respondents.

In a separate question, 12% of respondents strongly or slightly disagreed with the statement: 'healthy eating is important to me'

(2) 87% of respondents agreed with the statement: 'Even if you are on a limited budget you can still eat healthily.'

84% of respondents agreed with the statement: 'Parents should be strict with their children and make them eat healthily'.

In a separate question, respondents were prompted with a list of possible concerns, and 36% said they were concerned about foods aimed at children, and 20% were concerned about the nutritional content of school meals.

(3) Increased from 38% in 2001 to 59% in 2006 (asked on a 7 point scale where answers 5,6 and 7 are counted as a positive rating)

(4) Increased from 41% in 2000 to 65% in 2006 saying very/fairly confident

(5) Increased from 36% in 2001 and from 44% in 2005 (asked on a 7 point scale where answers 5,6 and 7 are counted as a positive rating

(6) 48% in 2006, compared with 2005 results of 40% for advice and 39% for information (asked on a 7 point scale where answers 5,6 and 7 are counted as a positive rating)

For a full breakdown of regional statistics and a copy of the Wales report, see the link below.

The Consumer Attitudes Survey is conducted annually by the Food Standards Agency to provide a better understanding of attitudes, knowledge, behaviour, and awareness among the public with regards to food standards and safety. The first study, in 2000 (published January 2001) enabled benchmarks to be set, and each additional study allows the Agency to track changes in behaviour and attitude, and measure trends.

TNS conducted 3,513 interviews among a demographically representative sample of the UK adult population. A sample of 708 adults was interviewed in Wales. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with respondents using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) technology between August and October 2006.