Consumer views of potential regulatory divergence in the meat sector
Consumer views of potential regulatory divergence in the meat sector: Appendix 2
Research materials
Focus group discussion guide
Note: this discussion guide is intended to inform the discussion in each workshop. Questions may not be asked in the order below, and not every question will be asked in each workshop.
Key:
- CAPITALISED = instructions for moderators
- Bold lower case = key questions
- Non-bold lower case = follow up questions and prompts
| Section | Timings | Questions and exercises | Objectives covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival (before start) | 15-20 mins | Participants enter the ‘zoom room’ and any that have not already done so are asked to change their screen name to first name and initial of their surname and check their microphone and video are working | - |
| Section 1: Introductions and warm-up |
5 mins
6:05 |
SHOW STIMULUS: SLIDES 1-5 Explain purpose of the discussion: This research is being carried out on behalf of the Food Standards Agency. The FSA are looking at the way the food industry currently regulated and thinking about ways in which this could change in the future. They have asked us to run this research as they are interested in gaining a better understanding of public views on proposed changes to the meat industry.
Ask if everyone is happy for the recording to begin TURN ON RECORDING and record consent that everyone is happy to participate in the workshop, that they understand the aims of the research, that their participation is voluntary and that their responses will remain confidential and anonymous. |
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| Section 2. Introductions and gaining level of awareness of the FSA |
15 mins -6:20 |
SHOW STIMULUS: SLIDE 5
We want to start by talking a bit about the Food Standards Agency and what you think it is that they do/what they are responsible for. As a reminder, this is not a test, we are just interested in hearing about your awareness of the FSA. SHOW STIMULUS: SLIDE 6 What initially comes to mind when you hear “the Food Standards Agency”? How many of you have heard of this organisation before?
Do you think anyone else is responsible for regulating the safety of food? Do you think there are any differences in the way that different foods are regulated? SHOW STIMULUS: SLIDE 7 – Overview of role of the FSA
What do you think about the FSA and their role as a regulator, now that you know a little more? |
Ice-breaker exercise to get participants to know each other and build discussion dynamic. Gauge awareness levels of regulation in the food industry and the FSA’s role in this |
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Section 3. Exploring consumers’ meat purchasing habits and introducing the food journey and official controls 20 mins |
20 mins
6:40 |
Now we’d like to talk about what you consider when you purchase food.
How often do you tend to buy meat?
What do you consider when buying meat? How often will you look at the labels when buying meat? We’re now going to move on to another area which is going to form the basis of what we'd like to discuss with you today. As you know the FSA want to understand people’s attitudes to potential changes to regulations in the meat industry. Before we go into more detail on this, we'd like to briefly show you what the current food journey of meat products look like. SHOW STIMULUS: SLIDES 8 & 9 - INTRODUCE FOOD JOURNEY AND OFFICIAL CONTROLS MODERATORS TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE OFFICIAL CONTROLS PROCESS IS NOT THE ONLY PART OF THE FOOD JOURNEY THAT THE FSA ARE INVOLVED IN, BUT IT IS AN AREA THAT WE ARE FOCUSSING ON IN THE DISCUSSION TODAY How much of this information feels familiar to you?
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Understand current thinking when purchasing meat products Introduce brief overview of food journey and current official controls |
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Section 3. Introducing the concept of regulatory divergence and exploring examples of this in practice |
20 mins-
7pm |
SHOW SLIDE 10 This could mean different regulations apply in different parts of the UK. This could be because Northern Ireland will continue to follow EU regulations, while England, Wales and Scotland will follow UK regulation. Or it could be because England, Wales and Scotland do not make the same changes as each other. Currently, most UK regulations are the same as EU regulations. However, this could change in the future if the EU made changes to their regulations, or the UK changes our current regulation. This is known as ‘regulatory divergence’. This could mean that some food businesses need to comply with both UK and EU regulations, depending on which market they are producing for, because the requirements are different. This could be expensive for businesses, as it could mean they need to run two production lines to meet different rules for EU exports and supply of the UK market. In this scenario all products in UK shops will all be produced to UK regulations. One alternative is that food businesses could be allowed to choose to comply with either UK or EU regulation for the UK market when these regulations are different. This would mean they could still sell their products in the UK by complying with EU regulations that could be different from those in the UK. In this scenario, two products that appear to be identical in a UK shop could be sold, even though they have been manufactured to different regulations. The FSA wants to explore consumer attitudes towards these potential changes to regulation and what it would mean for food businesses and consumers. What do you think of the information you’ve just heard? What do you think about the idea that food businesses could decide which legislation to comply with? What do you think about the idea that regulations could be different across each of the four nations in the UK? What do you think this could mean to consumers? INTRODUCE EXAMPLES: We have developed some hypothetical examples of what regulatory divergence could look like in the future, with regards to meat products. SHOW SLIDE 11 Example 1. Jameson’s, a UK food business, has sold meat to the EU and UK markets for the last fifty years. Following changes to UK regulations in the meat industry, Jameson’s decides to continue to produce meat which adheres to EU regulations, rather than produce products which adhere to both regulations. What do you think about this example? What do you think about food businesses choosing the regulations they produce their meat products to? What could this mean for:
Does it matter that the packaging used by the business has not changed, even though it is no longer following UK regulations? Should meat products that comply with EU regulations, but not revised UK regulations be displayed differently by retailers or in shops? E.g. on a different aisle/ section. What do you think about two meat products that have been manufactured under different regulations potentially appearing together for sale? Would you prefer for the packaging to be changed? For example, to communicate that it does not comply with revised UK standards?
How important is it that consumers know that meat products are being produced to different regulations? |
Introducing regulator divergence to participants and gathering initial views on this. Exploring hypothetical example of what proposed changes to regulations could look like in practice |
| Break | 7:pm 10 mins |
SLIDE 12 | - |
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7:10-7:40 30min
7.25 |
SHOW SLIDE 13 Example 2. Under the new regulations, one of the main areas another food business, Gregory’s Meat, makes changes to is their approach to disinfecting tools which are used to prepare meat safely. The water for disinfecting tools must be supplied at no less than 82oC . However, research is commissioned and demonstrates that equivalent results are achieved using water at 72oC. The FSA accepts the research and amends their legislation to permit the lower temperature to be used in England and Wales. Due to regulatory divergence, two steaks could appear next to each other on the shelves, one prepared at a facility disinfecting with water temperatures of 82C and the other at 72C. What do you think about this scenario? What could this mean for:
How would you feel about some businesses using water at a lower temperature to disinfect tools, compared to others? How would you feel about the change in regulations only applying to England and Wales (and not Northern Ireland)? Would you want this to be communicated to consumers? Would this affect your decision-making in any way when purchasing meat? Why/why not? To what extent would you trust that food adhering to these revised standards was safe to eat? How would you feel about two meat products that are packaged the same being available for purchase, but they have been prepared on production lines using different water temperatures? SHOW SLIDE 14 Potential changes in the future could involve a greater use of artificial intelligence to assist with remote welfare monitoring for animals, or training staff within the meat processing plants to report and investigate breaches to animal welfare. This would be instead of Official Veterinarians carrying out inspections of animals to check for any injuries or cause of death. In both of these scenarios, animal welfare standards would remain unchanged, but the staff responsible, or way in which monitoring standards is delivered could be different from the current regulations. What do you think about this scenario? What could this mean for:
[FOR MODERATORS IF NEEDED: benefits of this could include freeing up the time of Official Veterinarians to concentrate on higher risk businesses or tasks.] How would you feel about the introduction of more artificial intelligence or technology to ensure welfare standards are monitored and met?
How would you feel about trained plant staff carrying out checks instead of Official Veterinarians to ensure welfare standards are monitored and met?
Would you want this change to how welfare standards are being monitored to be communicated to consumers? Would this affect your decision-making in any way when purchasing meat? Why/why not? To what extent would you trust that food adhering to these revised standards was safe to eat? |
Continuing to explore hypothetical example of what proposed changes to regulations could look like in practice | |
| Wrapping up and reflections |
7:40 -7:55 15mins |
IF NOT ALREADY COVERED: How important is it that consumers are told about the change in regulations? Overall, what do you think any proposed changes to regulation might mean for: The FSA?
Moderator to go round group and ask individually if participants are struggling at section What would you say would be the ONE main benefit of potentially diverting from retained EU regulation? What would you say would be the ONE key risk or challenge of potentially diverting from retained EU regulation, if any?
What do you now think about the idea that regulations could be different across each of the four nations in the UK? What is the ONE thing you would want to be in place to reassure you that meat produced under different regulations is safe to eat? What would you want the FSA to prioritise as they develop their plans? Do you have any final thoughts for the FSA? Moderator to decide if would work best to go round group individually here Do you have any questions about what we’ve discussed today? |
Summarise discussions and provide a chance to reflect. |
| Section 4: Final reflections |
5 mins |
MODERATOR TO SHARE SIGNPOSTING SLIDE ON SCREEN SHOW SLIDE 15 THANK AND CLOSE |
Thank participants for time and signpost to relevant organisations |