Behaviour and perception

What role does consumer and Food Business Operator behaviour and perception play in ensuring food safety and standards?

The Behaviour and Perception Area of Research Interest (ARI) looks at understanding the role that consumer and business behaviour and perception has in ensuring food safety and standards. The overarching aim of this ARI is to investigate consumers’ and businesses’ behaviours, beliefs and potential misconceptions around food hygiene and safety.

Under this ARI we will identify research gaps, collect evidence and data on a range of topics, including:

food allergies
food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS)
behaviours in kitchens
meat sector compliance incentives

This ARI will provide a range of evidence that will be analysed and used by FSA teams in alignment with the FSA’s mission. Through identification of knowledge gaps, we can inform policy making in an efficient and targeted way, to achieve higher regulatory compliance, as well as a positive impact on consumers’ health. As the independent government department with the exclusive remit for food, it will enable us to fulfil a crucial role in informing the wider debates around issues such as food affordability.

From 1 August 2024 we publish reports in this area of research interest (ARIs) on our dedicated FSA Research and Evidence platform.

Research projects related to the programme

Food and You 2: Wave 8 Key Findings

Food and You 2 is a biannual official statistic survey commissioned by the Food Standards Agency. The survey measures consumers’ self-reported knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to food safety and other food topics amongst adults in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Fieldwork for Food and You 2: Wave 8 was conducted between 12 October 2023 and 8 January 2024. A total of 5,808 adults (aged 16 years or over) from 4,006 households across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland completed the survey.

Food and You 2: Technical Report

This technical report is for the Food and You 2 survey. This report outlines the questionnaire development, sampling, fieldwork and weighting approach.

Food and You 2: Wave 7 Key Findings

Food and You 2: 2020-2023 trends: Weighting note

Summary of how the weights for the Food and You 2: 2020-2023 trends data were calculated.

Kitchen Life 2 Technical report

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissioned Kitchen Life 2 (KL2) to understand food safety practices in household and food business operator (FBO) kitchens.

Kitchen Life 2

Kitchen Life 2 is a behavioural research project that used video capture to understand real-life behaviour in household and business kitchens.

Not reheating leftovers until steaming hot throughout

It is important to reheat leftover food until it is steaming hot throughout to kill harmful bacteria that may have grown since the food was cooked .

Storing chilled foods at incorrect temperatures

Storing chilled foods at an incorrect temperature is a food safety risk, as it promotes the growth of harmful bacteria.

Not checking use-by dates and consuming foods past the use-by dates

Eating food past the use-by date presents a significant risk of foodborne illnesses to consumers.

Reusing a tea towel or cloth for multiple purposes

Reusing a chopping board after preparing meat, fish and poultry

Not washing hands with soap after touching meat, fish and poultry

The creation of food waste

The relationship between food waste and food safety practices is an area of interest for the FSA.

Consumer Attitudes Towards Potential Divergence of Food Safety Regulations Within the UK

Food and You 2: Wave 6 Key Findings

Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) Audit of Display and Business Survey 2022: Technical report

Risk from Listeria in smoked fish and survey of knowledge of smoked fish

The risk to vulnerable consumers from Listeria monocytogenes in ready to eat smoked fish and survey of knowledge of, and behaviours towards, smoked fish consumption.

Survey of knowledge of, and behaviours towards, smoked fish consumption

Eating Well Choosing Better Tracker Survey Wave 8 2022

Report prepared for the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland by Ipsos.

Consumer perceptions of precision breeding

The Food Standards Agency has commissioned research on consumer perceptions of precision breeding.

Testing the impact of overt and covert ordering interventions on sustainable consumption choices: a randomised controlled trial

A report into whether specific choice architecture intervention in an online supermarket environment can shift consumer choices towards more sustainable options.