HUGE THANKS to the full project team for this work! Caitlin Connors, Laura Malan, Muriel Esposito, Claire Madden, Christian Reynolds, Nefeli Trikka, Mel Cohen, Faun Rothery, Siobhan Canavan, Sammy Saint Warrens, Fan Sissoko, Efun Coker, Sarah Tulej, Rebecca Birch and Claire Sheppard.
With thanks to our brilliant partners at the FSA and FSS for their support and guidance: Elham Mirzahosseinkhan, Sophie Watson and Susan Bond.
WHAT THE UK PUBLIC CARE ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD
We are proud to share the findings of our recent research for the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland exploring the public’s needs, interests and concerns around food.
Work was conducted in partnership with AndGood, Esposito Research and Strategy and Dr Christian Reynolds (City, University of London).
15 minute key findings digest of the findings available here
Stories about how the issues play out in everyday life here (or get in touch for a pdf version)
Full reporting and accessible data tables available from the FSA
Our research represents the experiences of c. 100 qualitative participants and 6175 survey respondents. It explores the challenges and concerns facing people across the UK - including, most seriously, the cost of living crisis, rising food insecurity, and increasingly pressured decision making around food - and identifies the public’s 4 key priorities for decision-makers:
Enabling equitable access to safe, affordable, healthy food
Ensuring high-quality food safety, hygiene and standards
Guiding fair, ethical and sustainable food systems and futures
Making it easier to access and choose healthy, nutritious food
In part based on the findings of this research, the FSA has evolved its strategic focus for its new 2022-2027 strategy. In its Strategy and in the recent June 2022 Board meeting, the FSA has committed to playing its part in helping to make food healthier and more sustainable for everyone, and to considering the impact of inequalities and food security in everything they do. We are deeply grateful to the board and wider FSA for taking such an evidence-based approach to its policy work, and for its deep listening to the lived experiences of the UK people.