Food and You 2: Northern Ireland Wave 5-6 Key Findings
F&Y2 Wave 5-6 NI: Chapter 1: Food you can trust
Northern Ireland specific
This chapter provides an overview of respondents’ awareness of and trust in the FSA, as well as their confidence in food safety and the accuracy of information provided on food labels.
Introduction
The FSA’s overarching mission is ‘food you can trust’. The FSA’s vision is a food system in which:
- food is safe
- food is what it says it is
- food is healthier and more sustainable
This chapter provides an overview of respondents’ awareness of and trust in the FSA, as well as their confidence in food safety and the accuracy of information provided on food labels.
Confidence in food safety and authenticity
Most respondents reported confidence (for example, were very confident or fairly confident) in food safety and authenticity; 92% of respondents reported that they were confident that the food they buy is safe to eat, and 87% of respondents were confident that the information on food labels is accurate(footnote).
Confidence in the food supply chain
Around three quarters of respondents (76%) reported that they had confidence (i.e. were very confident or fairly confident) in the food supply chain(footnote).
Figure 1: Confidence that food supply chain actors ensure food is safe to eat.
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Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6
Respondents were asked to indicate how confident they were that key actors involved in the food supply chain, in the UK and Ireland, ensure that the food they buy is safe to eat. Respondents were more likely to report confidence (i.e. were very confident or fairly confident) in farmers (88%), shops and supermarkets (84%), and restaurants (83%), than in takeaways (68%), and food delivery services for example, Just Eat, Deliveroo, Uber Eats (44%) (Figure 1)(footnote).
Awareness, trust and confidence in the FSA
Most respondents (91%) had heard of the FSA(footnote).
Figure 2. Knowledge about the Food Standards Agency.
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Source: Food and You 2: Wave 6
Over half (56%) of respondents reported at least some knowledge of the FSA; 8% reported that they knew a lot about the FSA and what it does, and 48% reported that they knew a little about the FSA and what it does. 35% had heard of the FSA but knew nothing about it, 6% had not heard of the FSA before being contacted to take part in the survey, and 4% had not heard of the FSA (Figure 2)(footnote).
Knowledge of the FSA varied between different categories of people in the following ways:
- age group: respondents aged between 25 and 79 years (for example, 67% of those aged 55-64 years) were more likely to report knowledge of the FSA compared to the oldest respondents (for example, 55% of those aged 65-79 years and over)(footnote).
- NS-SEC: respondents in a managerial, administrative and professional occupation (63%) and small employers and own account workers (60%) were more likely to have knowledge of the FSA than those in semi-routine and routine occupations (47%) and those who are long term unemployed or who have never worked (36%).
- country: six in ten (56%) respondents in Northern Ireland reported knowledge of the FSA. Respondents in Wales (65%) were more likely to report knowledge of the FSA than those in England (56%)**.
- responsibility for cooking and / or shopping: respondents who were responsible for cooking (57%) and / or shopping (58%) were more likely to report knowledge of the FSA compared to respondents who do not cook (43%) and/or those who never shop (37%).
Trust in the FSA
Respondents who had at least some knowledge of the FSA were asked how much they trusted the FSA to do its job, that is to make sure food is safe and what it says it is; 82% of these respondents reported that they trusted the FSA to do this(footnote).
Nearly 9 in 10 (85%) respondents reported that they were confident that the FSA (or the government agency responsible for food safety) can be relied upon to protect the public from food-related risks (such as food poisoning or allergic reactions from food), 80% were confident that the FSA is committed to communicating openly with the public about food-related risks, and 83% were confident that the FSA takes appropriate action if a food-related risk is identified(footnote).