Developing rapid and effective communications testing
Findings report
What role does consumer and Food Business Operator behaviour and perception play in ensuring food safety and standards?
The Behaviour and Perception Area of Research Interest (ARI) looks at understanding the role that consumer and business behaviour and perception has in ensuring food safety and standards. The overarching aim of this ARI is to investigate consumers’ and businesses’ behaviours, beliefs and potential misconceptions around food hygiene and safety.
Under this ARI we will identify research gaps, collect evidence and data on a range of topics, including:
- food allergies
- food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS)
- behaviours in kitchens
- meat sector compliance incentives
This ARI will provide a range of evidence that will be analysed and used by FSA teams in alignment with the FSA’s mission. Through identification of knowledge gaps, we can inform policy making in an efficient and targeted way, to achieve higher regulatory compliance, as well as a positive impact on consumers’ health. As the independent government department with the exclusive remit for food, it will enable us to fulfil a crucial role in informing the wider debates around issues such as food affordability.
Research projects related to the programme
Exploring food behaviours in the UK student population: Interim findings
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), in association with Food Standards Scotland (FSS), commissioned this research to explore the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of university students relating to food safety and security.
Food Hygiene Rating Scheme Audit of Display and Business Survey 2021: Technical report
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme Audit of Display and Business Survey 2021 Technical report.
Qualitative research to explore consumer attitudes to food sold online
This research report provides findings from 12 online discussion groups conducted via video with a range of consumers split across different demographics in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Food Hygiene Rating Scheme Audit of Display and Business Survey 2021
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is designed to help consumers make more considered choices about where they eat out or shop for food by providing ‘at-a-glance’ information about the hygiene standards of food businesses found at the time of their last inspection by a local authority’s food safety officer.
Consumer Handwashing Tracker
Key findings from April 2020 to January 2022.
A rapid evidence review of the Psychology of Food Choice
This report provides a rapid review of the evidence of the psychology of food choice, consolidating current knowledge and direction of development of research in relation to the psychology of food choice.
A rapid review of the evidence on the factors underpinning the consumption of meat and dairy among the general public
A literature review of the evidence on barriers and facilitators to the reduction of meat and dairy consumption among the general public.
A rapid review of the acceptability and impact of approaches to reduce the salt, fat and sugar content of people’s diets on consumers and industry
A report on the findings of reviews reporting on the acceptability and efficacy of population-scale initiatives to reduce fat, salt and sugar consumption.
Trends in Twitter conversations about food during 2019-20
This report gives a high-level summary of social media analysis divided by key categories to build our understanding of the views and concerns of the public when it comes to food. The analysis includes deep dive analyses on key category macro trends and key findings from audience analysis.
Psychologies of Food Choice: Public views and experiences around meat and dairy consumption
Research exploring UK public views and experiences around meat and dairy consumption, including key drivers of participants’ chosen dietary approach.
Survey of consumer perceptions of alternative, or novel, sources of protein
In December 2021, the FSA commissioned Ipsos MORI to conduct an online survey to understand consumer awareness and perceptions of alternative, or novel, sources of protein.
Consumer insights tracker
Research and consumer insight on behaviours and attitudes to food insecurity, food availability, consumer concerns and confidence in the food chain.
Consumer Handwashing Research: Handwashing in a Pandemic
The Food Standards Agency with Ipsos UK carried out research in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to monitor consumer hand hygiene behaviour during the pandemic.
FSA Consumer segmentation
Consumer segmentation is a way of grouping consumers based on common characteristics. It is used by organisations, including the FSA, to better understand different groups and how to reach them.
Qualitative research into the consumption of food with expired ‘use by’ dates
The COVID-19 Consumer Tracker and the Food and You 2 survey indicate that a substantial minority of consumers eat food after the use-by date (UBD) has expired. The FSA wished to discover more about the drivers of consuming food after the UBD, and barriers to compliance with the UBD
Consumer perceptions of genome edited food
A mixed method social science research project to understand consumer perceptions of genome edited food and its potential future labelling.
Survey of consumer practices with respect to coated frozen chicken products
Social research on coated frozen chicken products to cook and eat at home.
The FSA Risk Communication Toolkit
A toolkit and checklist to help our policy, science and strategy teams to plan effective risk communications.
Citizen science and food
The Citizen Science and Food report sets out how citizen science has been applied and how it is relevant to the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) areas of research interest.
Consumer perception of food risk
A survey to explore how consumers perceive food-related risks.
Food and drink manufacturers views on front of pack nutritional labelling
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissioned independent research to explore the views of food and drink manufacturers in Northern Ireland (NI) on front of pack nutritional labelling (FOPNL) including the impact of this labelling on manufacturers reformulation efforts.
Rapid Review of ‘Moments of Change’ and Food-Related Behaviours
A rapid evidence review looking at the factors influencing food behaviours and how they may be susceptible to disruption from life events or ‘moments of change’.
FSA and Official Controls: Research with food business operators
Research into how food business operators in the meat, wine and dairy sectors views the FSA and its Official Controls.