Food Standards Agency highlights key issues for consumers and diners – impressions matter

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) released details of its regular survey of public concerns about food related issues earlier this month. The survey is based on research involving a representative sample of 2,076 adults carried out in November 2011.

The results were largely in line with an earlier survey carried out in May 2011. The big issues continue to be the cost of food (60%), salt in food (46%), food waste (43%) and fats (40%) with animal welfare close behind (38%). None of these come as a great surprise and many will welcome the fact that animal welfare is a high priority issue for consumers.

When it comes to food safety issues, no self-respecting restaurant or food business should doubt that impressions matter. Top of the agenda when eating out are hygiene standards which 64% judged from the appearance of premises and 52% looked to the appearance of staff, so first impressions can make a real difference to how your business is seen on this critical issue.

Almost a fifth of respondents were aware of food hygiene rating schemes, but just 13% were aware of the Food Hygiene Star Rating Schemepromoted by the FSA as a national standard and increasingly being taken up by local authorities. Under this scheme a food businesses is awarded between 1 and 5 stars according to the hygiene standards in place and operating.

So what do we take from this latest survey? The major preoccupation is, not surprisingly, with the cost of food, health concerns remain, closely followed by environmental and animal welfare considerations. Among those dining out, hygiene is the priority and first impressions are all important. It is likely that future diners will increasingly be looking for establishments with the FSA’s 5 star rating, and perhaps even questioning those which do not achieve a high rating.

Full details about the survey are on the FSA website, click here.

Find the FSA rating for a local establishment near you, click here.