Research project

Consumer Insights Tracker January 2024

The Consumer Insights Tracker is an online monthly tracking survey commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Area of research interest: Consumer Interests (aka Wider Consumer Interests)

Project status: Completed

Authors: Food Standards Agency

Date published: 13 February 2024

Consumer Insights Tracker January 2024 (449.59 KB)

The Consumer Insights Tracker is an online monthly tracking survey commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). It monitors the behaviour and attitudes of adult consumers aged 16+ in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in relation to food.

The survey includes topics such as food availability, food affordability, consumer concerns in relation to food, confidence in the food supply chain and in the FSA as a regulator.

The full data set is published on data.food.gov.uk: Consumer Insights Tracker July 2023 - present.

Key findings for January 2024

Overall, measures related to confidence in the food supply chain, food availability and food affordability are consistent with last month. The top three concerns remain food prices (87%), food poverty and inequality (77%) and ultra-processed, or the over-processing of food (75%). The proportion of respondents reporting concern about these topics has not changed significantly from last month.
Respondents more limited by a health problem or disability are more likely to be worried that their household will not be able to afford food in the next month. 43% of respondents limited a lot by a health problem or disability report being worried, significantly higher than those limited a little (26%) or those not limited by a health problem or disability (19%). These differences have been consistent since July 2023.

Food affordability

One in five (23%) are worried about their household not being able to afford food in the next month.

This is comparable to recent months, but statistically significantly lower than in July.

Proportion who reported worrying about their household not being able to afford food in the next month ^(footnote)

Line graph shows proportion worried about their household not being able to afford food for July (28%), August (25%), September (25%), October (25%), November (26%), December (25%) and January (23%).

43% of those who are limited a lot by a health problem or disability are worried about their household not being able to afford food in the next month.

This is statistically significantly higher than those limited a little (26%) or those who said they are not limited by a health problem or disability (19%). These differences have been consistent since July.

Proportion who reported worrying about their household not being able to afford food in the next month by a limiting health problem or disability ^(footnote)

The chart shows the proportion of those who are concerned about food affordability by limiting health problem or disability. In January, it is 43% among those limited a lot, 26% among those limited a little, and 19% among those not limited.

4% report that they, or someone in their household, received a free parcel of food from a food bank or other emergency food provider in the last month.

This is statistically significantly higher than the 2% figure recorded in October 2023.

Proportion who reported receiving a food parcel from a food bank or emergency food provider ^(footnote)

Line graph shows proportion who received a food parcel from a food bank or emergency food provider for August (2%), September (3%), October (2%), November (3%), December (3%) and January (4%).

72% report at least one of the following statements applies to them or their household.

This is comparable with the proportion reporting this in December (73%).

Reported shopping statements ^(footnote)

The chart shows reported shopping behaviours in January 2024. 49% chose cheaper alternatives and 40% bought reduced or discounted food.

Reported cooking and eating statements

The chart shows reported cooking and eating behaviours in January 2024. 37% cooked and prepared something from scratch and 16% bulked out meals with cheaper ingredients.

Statistically significant differences compared to December shown with arrows.

57% have used cheaper cooking methods instead of an oven to heat or cook food in the last month and 9% have eaten food cold because they couldn’t afford to cook it.

These figures are comparable with December.

Proportion who did any of the following to reduce energy bills or save money in the last month ^(footnote)

The chart shows the ways people have acted to reduce energy bills and save money in the last month. 57% used cheaper cooking methods.

Food availability

One in five (20%) are worried about there not being enough food available for their household in the next month.

This figure is statistically significantly lower than in July, though comparable to all other months.

Proportion who reported worrying about there not being enough food available for their household in the next month ^(footnote)

The chart shows the proportion who reported worrying about there not being enough food available for their household in the next month. In January, it is 20%.

Food concerns

87% are concerned about food prices, 77% are concerned about food poverty and food inequality.

These figures are comparable with December.

Proportion who reported concern about food by topic ^(footnote)

The chart shows the concern about various food topics, comparing them to December 2023. 87% are concerned about food prices in January.

Statistically significant differences compared to December shown with arrows.

Food supply chain

59% are confident in the food supply chain overall.

This is comparable to December.

Proportion who reported confidence in the food supply chain ^(footnote)

The chart shows confidence in the food supply chain from July to January. In January, it is 59%.

Proportion who reported confidence that those involved in the food supply chain ensure that… ^(footnote)

The first chart shows confidence that food is safe to eat from July to January. In January, it is 71%. The second chart shows confidence that there is enough food available from July to January. In January, it is 58%. The third chart shows confidence that food is of high quality from July to January. In January, it is 56%. The fourth chart shows confidence that there are affordable food options from July to January. In January, it is 37%.

The FSA

56% of those with some knowledge of the FSA trust the FSA to do its job.

Trust in the FSA has remained broadly stable since August.

Proportion that trust the FSA to do its job ^(footnote)

The chart shows trust in the FSA to do its job in August to January. In January it is 56%, among those with some knowledge of the FSA.

Proportion who reported confidence that the FSA… ^(footnote)

The first chart shows confidence that the FSA protects the public from food related risks, from August to January. In January, it is 74%. The second chart shows confidence that the FSA takes appropriate action about identified food-related risks from August to January (79%), which is statistically significantly higher than in December (76%). The third chart shows confidence that the FSA is committed to communicating openly with the public about food-related risks. In January it is 65%.

Statistically significant differences compared to December shown with arrows

Background and methodological information

Changes in approach

Following a review of the FSA's Consumer Insights Tracker by the FSA’s Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS), the project was recommissioned in early 2023.

In July 2023, the Consumer Insights Tracker was transitioned to a new supplier, YouGov. Changing supplier provided the opportunity to make the following methodological changes:

review the questionnaire content and question wording
expand the sample to include adults aged 16+ (previously 16-75)
boost the sample to include a larger number of participants from Northern Ireland
utilise a panel survey approach (previously an omnibus approach was used to collect the data)

Due to these methodological differences, data captured by YouGov (from July 2023 onwards) should not be directly compared to data captured by the previous supplier (April 2020 – June 2023).

Method

this research was conducted online using the YouGov panel which gives access to 400,000 active panellists in the UK.
this report presents findings from January 2024. Where appropriate, comparisons are made to previous waves since July 2023.
2,038 adults across England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in the January survey between 4th-9th January 2024.
quotas were set by age, gender, education and region. The data is also weighted to be representative of the population by these demographic variables. All results are based on final weighted data.

Notes for interpretation

figures may not add up to 100% on graphs due to rounding, or in some questions, respondents were able to select multiple answers.
significance testing is applied to the data to compare and determine whether a difference is “real”, or if it has occurred by chance (because not everyone in the population has been surveyed).
any differences between demographic groups and month to month which are reported (with arrows) are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level.
if you require further information on the statistical significance testing carried out, please contact the social science team.
where analysis is conducted by IMD, respondents are categorised within the country where they live, before a combined measure is created for the full sample.

For more information

visit our Consumer Insights Tracker webpage
or please contact the FSA Social Science Team