Concern about sugar content in food has risen 16% according to the latest biannual Food Standards Agency (FSA) Public Standards Tracker Survey.
After a review in 2010, the Tracker was redeveloped in full and since then has run on a biannual basis.
Questions cover several topics of interest for FSA, including: concern about food safety issues, awareness of food hygiene standards, awareness of the FSA and its responsibilities, trust in the FSA and the food industry and confidence in food labelling.
The top food safety issues of concern were: food hygiene when eating out, chemicals from the environment such as lead in food, food additives and food poisoning.
The top wider issues of concern were: the amount of sugar in food, food waste, food prices and animal welfare.
In the latest results for the six months to May, FSA compared the results of different Waves (Wave one being the first survey and set of results).
The FSA explained: “Sugar replaced food price as the top concern and has risen more than any other concern in this survey, from 39% at Wave one to 55% at Wave 16 (+16%).
“This has been the highest concern since Wave 12 (May 2016) which was also at 55%.”
When asked about the level of concern they had about food safety in food outlets, 45% of respondents reported concern about food safety in UK restaurants, pubs, cafes and takeaways and 43% of respondents reported concern about food safety in UK shops and supermarkets.
However 82% of respondents reported that they were aware of hygiene standards in places they eat out at or buy food from.
The main ways these respondents were aware of hygiene standards were via hygiene stickers/certificates and the general appearance of the premises.
The main issue respondents thought FSA was responsible for was ensuring food bought is safe to eat.
To read the full report, click here.
