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Research project

Consumer Insights Tracker

Monthly research and consumer insight on behaviours and attitudes towards food insecurity, food availability, consumer concerns and confidence in the food chain.

Last updated: 29 July 2024
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Last updated: 29 July 2024
See all updates
View as PDF
Area of research interest: Consumer Interests (aka Wider Consumer Interests) 
Project status: Ongoing
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46756/sci.fsa.nfy518

What is the Consumer Insights Tracker?

The Consumer Insights Tracker is the FSA’s monthly tracking survey that monitors changes in consumers’ behaviour and attitudes in relation to food. 

Each month, the survey is conducted with approximately 2,000 adults (aged 16 or over) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who are signed up to an online survey panel. The tracker is currently run by YouGov. 

The Consumer Insights Tracker complements our flagship Food and You 2 survey, which collects more robust data on a biannual basis, providing longer term monitoring of consumer behaviour and attitudes over time.

The key differences between the two surveys are summarised below. 

Topics covered in the Consumer Insights Tracker

The Consumer Insights Tracker monitors trends in consumer behaviour and attitudes in relation to the following topics:

  • food insecurity (including food affordability)
  • food availability 
  • consumer concerns in relation to food
  • confidence in the food supply chain and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a regulator

We also include questions on other topics on an ad hoc basis, and the data for these questions can be found via the FSA's data catalogue. For more information about these questions, please refer to the 'Background and methodological information' section of each quarterly report. 

Background

We have been conducting surveys with consumers monthly since April 2020. 

YouGov were appointed as the new supplier of the Consumer Insights Tracker from July 2023, and the survey was relaunched in August 2023 following an independent review of the survey’s methods and content. This webpage provides a monthly report of Consumer Insights tracker data from August 2023 onwards.  

Between April 2020 and June 2023, the Consumer Insights Tracker was administered by Ipsos UK (data is available on our webpage).

Due to the methodological differences between these two suppliers, data collected from Ipsos and YouGov should not be directly compared. 

Monthly Consumer Insights Tracker reports

Monthly bulletins for April 2020 to June 2023 are also available via our historic Consumer Insights Tracker webpage. Due to changes in methodology and supplier, users should not directly compare the results of the older surveys with the current survey results.

End of year Consumer Insights Tracker reports

Data tables

Data tables are available via the FSA's data catalogue.

How the Consumer Insights Tracker differs from Food and You 2

In addition to the Consumer Insights Tracker, the FSA collects more detailed data on a broader range of topics through the FSA’s flagship Food and You 2 survey. Whilst both surveys ask questions about food security, food-related concerns, and confidence in food, there are several differences between these surveys that users should be aware of when interpreting the findings, summarised in the table below. Due to these differences, data from these sources are not directly comparable.

Difference Food and You 2 Consumers Insights Tracker
Purpose To provide methodologically robust evidence on consumers’ attitudes, knowledge and behaviour in areas of strategic interest to the FSA, to inform FSA decision-making and monitor FSA’s progress against its strategic objectives. To provide timely granular insights to a range of FSA and cross-government stakeholders on topics that require regular monitoring and/or up-to-date figures.
When to use For methodologically robust (random probability) evidence, or when more detailed analysis is required (for example, country differences, or differences between sub-groups of the population).  For quick, up-to-date (but still reliable) statistics and monthly granularity, seasonal comparisons and trend analysis , it is recommended that the Consumer Insights Tracker is used. The Consumer Insights tracker is particularly useful for providing a ‘national picture’ (across England, Wales and Northern Ireland), and due to sample size, for comparing large demographic groups (such as age groups).
Sample size Approximately 6,000 Approximately 2,000
Sample Adults 16 and over in private households in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. From July 2023, sample is comprised of adults aged 16 and over in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Sampling approach Random stratified probability sampling using postal address file (PAF). From July 2023; quota sampling from an online panel.
Method Push-to-web (online, with postal option). From July 2023; Online panel survey.
Frequency Biannually (frequency of each module varies) Monthly (was fortnightly between November 2021 and January 2022)
Representation Nationally representative of England, Wales and Northern Ireland with boosted samples in Wales and Northern Ireland. Nationally representative of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Topics covered Food safety in the home, food shopping, eating out, food allergy (including intolerance, and other hypersensitivities), food security, concerns about food, and trust in the FSA and food supply chain. Food security, food availability, concerns in relation to food, confidence in the food supply chain and confidence/trust in the FSA.
Cognitively tested Cognitive testing on most survey questions. No cognitive testing. From July 2023, survey is piloted each month.
Beginning of timeseries Wave 1 fieldwork conducted between July and October 2020 (some modules / questions introduced in subsequent waves)

Current timeseries available from July 2023

Historic timeseries available (April 2020-June 2023)

These two distinct timeseries should not be directly compared due to changes in supplier and methodology.
Official statistic Yes No

Contact details

You can contact the Consumer Insights Tracker team using the following email address: socialscience@food.gov.uk.

 

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