European consumers trust food safety institutions, but fear additives, antibiotics and pesticide residues in food. European citizens’ attitudes toward food-related risks are noted by Special Eurobarometer 2022 on Food Safety, published by EFSA. (1)
Eurobarometer on the perceived food safety of Europeans
The survey is based on interviews conducted among more than 26 thousand individuals residing in the 27 EU member states between March and April 2022.
The responses reflect the concerns of a population caught between fear and the threat of war in Europe after the pandemic.
Price drives choices
The most alarming aspect is that on average in Europe when choosing food, the first factor is price (54 percent), followed by taste (51 percent). This approach is more frequent than in the previous 2019 survey.
Italians deviate from the European trend, citing product origin and food safety, understood as the presence of an undesirable ingredient, as the driver of consumption choices in 59 percent of cases. Taste is decisive in 46% of cases, while cost is as important as nutritional values (40%).
Still low across Europe, including Italy, is attention to the environmental impact of food, which accounts for 16 percent of choices.
Who cares about food safety
Women are generally more sensitive to the issue of food security. In the European landscape, the most attentive consumers are the Italians: 75 percent say they are personally interested in the topic, compared to an EU average of 70 percent.
Awareness of the risks
Food safety risks, in the feeling of Europeans, can be summarized into 10 categories. Next, in descending order of awareness:
- additives such as coloring agents, preservatives or flavorings used in food or beverages (70%),
- Pesticide residues in food (65 percent),
- antibiotics, hormones or steroids in meat (63%),
- diseases of farm animals (60%),
- environmental pollutants in fish, meat or dairy products (58 percent),
- Food poisoning caused by food or drink contaminated with bacteria, viruses and parasites (57 percent),
- Welfare of farm animals. For example, during transportation, a topic proposed in the survey for the first time (57 percent),
- Genetically modified (GMO) ingredients in food or beverages (56 percent),
- Microplastics in food (55 percent),
- presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food (51%), another topic newly included in the questionnaire.
Italians are most familiar with antibiotic residues (57 percent), food additives (54 percent) and zoonotic diseases, i.e., of farm animals (52 percent). With less sensitivity to the presence of microplastics in food and beverages (30 percent) and animal welfare (32 percent).
Fears at the table
Concerns about food- and beverage-related health risks among Europeans mainly concern the presence of pesticide residues (40 percent) and antibiotics or hormones in meat (39 percent), in addition to additives (36 percent).
Antibiotic residues are the top concern of Italians (41 percent), followed by zoonotic diseases (36 percent), up 8 percent from 2019. Then concern about the effects of pesticide residues grows (31%, +6%), and concern about food additives remains constant (33%).
The communication of food safety
Television and those closest to them (family members, friends and colleagues) are confirmed to be the primary source of information about food hazards. This is as true for the average European (61 and 44 percent, respectively) as it is for Italians (67 and 44 percent).
Web search engines are the third largest source (37 percent on average, 34 percent in Italy). In contrast, institutional websites play a marginal role, relied upon by 17 percent of Europeans and 13 percent of Italians.
Among the various possible sources, the highest confidence is placed on:
- general practitioners (89 percent, 85 percent in Italy),
- scientists and researchers from public facilities (82 percent in EU, 80 percent in Italy),
- consumer associations (82 percent EU average, 81 percent in Italy).
Political responsibilities
European consumer confidence should sound as a reminder of the political responsibilities of food safety institutions.
In fact, 73 percent of European respondents believe that regulations are in place to ensure food safety, but only 41 percent (42 percent in Italy) take it for granted that the food on sale is safe.
Of note, 37% of Italians find food safety information to often be very technical and complex (27% EU average).
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) EFSA. Special Eurobarometer Wave EB97.2 Food safety in the EU https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-09/EB97.2-food-safety-in-the-EU_report.pdf
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
