Food and You 2: Wave 7 Key Findings
F&Y2 Wave 7: Chapter 6 Novel foods
This chapter provides an overview of respondents' awareness of genetic technologies and reported awareness and use of Cannabidiol.
Introduction
The FSA’s vision as set out in the 2022-2027 strategy is a food system in which ‘food is healthier and more sustainable’, accounting for the growing priorities of dietary health and sustainability for the UK Government, Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive, and for consumers.
The FSA is responsible for the authorisation of novel foods. The novel food status of cannabidiol (CBD) was confirmed in England and Wales in January 2019. In Northern Ireland, CBD food products are unauthorised novel foods.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has a broad remit and plays a major role in increasing the sustainability, productivity and resilience of the agriculture, fishing, food and drink sectors, enhancing biosecurity at the border and raising animal welfare standards. In addition, Defra oversees the regulation of genetic technologies such as genetically modified organisms (GMO), gene edited (GE) and precision bred organisms (footnote 1).
Awareness of gene-edited (GE), genetically modified (GM) and precision bred foods
Figure 21. Awareness and knowledge of genetically modified (GM), gene-edited/genome-edited (GE) and precision bred food.
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Source: Food and You 2: Wave 7
Respondents were asked if they had ever heard of genetically modified (GM) food, gene-edited or genome-edited food and precision bred food. Respondents reported greater awareness and knowledge of genetically modified (GM) food than gene-edited or genome-edited food (GE) and least knowledge of precision bred food. For example, 68% of respondents had never heard of precision bred food whereas 41% of respondents had never heard of GE food. 9% of respondents had never heard of GM food (Figure 21) (footnote 2).
Awareness and use of Cannabidiol (CBD)
Figure 22. Awareness and knowledge of cannabidiol (CBD).
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Source: Food and You 2: Wave 7
Respondents were asked if they had ever heard of Cannabidiol (CBD). Around half (55%) of respondents had heard of CBD: 7% reported that they know quite a lot about it; 21% reported that they know a bit about it; 27% reported that they don’t know much about it, and 11% reported that they don’t know anything about it. Around a third (34%) of respondents reported that they had never heard of CBD (Figure 22) (footnote 3).
Respondents were asked if they had used or consumed CBD in the previous 12 months. Over 1 in 10 (14%) respondents reported that they had used or consumed CBD and 60% of respondents reported that they had not used or consumed CBD. A quarter (25%) of respondents reported that they didn’t know if they had used or consumed CBD (footnote 4) in the previous 12 months.
Respondents who had used or consumed CBD in the previous 12 months were asked how they decided on a suitable dose or serving. The most common methods to decide on a suitable dose or serving were to follow the instructions on the packaging or label (58%), researching about the topic on the internet (22%), and monitoring the effect it has and increasing/ reducing the dose as needed (21%) (footnote 5).
Figure 23. Types of cannabidiol (CBD) product used or consumed among CBD users.
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Source: Food and You 2: Wave 7
Respondents who had used or consumed CBD in the previous 12 months were asked how often they had used or consumed different types of CBD products. Around 6 in 10 respondents reported that they had consumed drinks (62%) or oils (58%) containing CBD. Around a third respondents reported that they had consumed food (36%) or chewables (34%) containing CBD. Around a quarter of respondents had used vapes or tobacco products (27%), cosmetics (23%) or medicinal products (23%) containing CBD (Figure 23) (footnote 6).
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Precision breeding is a way of changing the DNA of plants or animals in a precise way, using techniques including gene-editing. Gene-editing uses specialised enzymes to cut DNA at specific points. These changes must be equivalent to those that could have been made using traditional plant or animal breeding methods.
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Question: Have you ever heard of...A/B? A) Genetically modified (GM) food? B) Gene-edited or genome-edited food C) Precision bred food? Responses: Yes, I've heard of it and know quite a lot about it; Yes, I've heard of it and know a bit about it; Yes, I've heard of it but don't know much about it; Yes, I've heard of it but don't know anything about it; No, I've never heard of it. Base= 5812, all respondents.
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Question: Have you heard of Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD? Responses: Yes, I've heard of it and know quite a lot about it; Yes, I've heard of it and know a bit about it; Yes, I've heard of it but don't know much about it; Yes, I've heard of it but don't know anything about it; No, I've never heard of it. Base= 3617, all online respondents.
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Question: Have you used or consumed products containing Cannabidiol (CBD) in the last 12 months? Responses: Yes, No, Don’t know, Prefer not to say. Base= 2481, all online respondents who have heard of Cannabidiol.
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Question: When using/consuming products containing cannabidiol (CBD), how do you decide suitable dose/serving? Responses: By monitoring the effect it has on me and increasing/ reducing the dose as needed, Following the instructions on the packaging or label, Following the advice from my doctor, Following the advice from a pharmacist or shop assistant, Researching about the topic on the internet, Researching about the topic on the internet, This isn’t something I think about, Other. Base= 295, All online respondents who have used/consumed products containing Cannabidiol in the last 12 months.
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Question: How often used or consumed in the last 12 months… a) Drinks; b) Food; c) Oils; d) Chewables; e) Medicinal products; f) Vapes or tobacco substitutes; g) Cosmetics … (products containing CBD)? Responses: Most days or every day, Several times a week, About once a week, Several times a month, About once a month, Once or a few times over the past year, Never. Base= 295, All online respondents who have used/consumed products containing Cannabidiol in the last 12 months.