Public confidence in food safety has increased in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, according to a Food Standards Agency (FSA) survey.
A survey conducted between October 2024 and February 2025 Among 5,690 adults, it was found that 94 percent of respondents were confident that the food they bought was safe to eat. That's a higher percentage than the previous three surveys, when the rate was between 88 and 90 percent.
This is also the highest level of public confidence in food safety since the launch of Food and You 2 in 2020.
Strong confidence in food safety
Respondents were more likely to express concerns about the safety and hygiene of food produced outside the UK and whether food produced in the UK meets its claims.
“These results show that the public has strong confidence in food safety, which is very encouraging. Our job is to protect people by making sure food is safe and true to its claims, and that trust reflects the hard work of the entire food system,” said Katie Pettyfer, chief executive of the FSA.
A recent Eurobarometer study by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) found that seven out of ten Europeans suffer has a personal interest in food safety.
A UK survey found that 70 percent of participants always wash their hands before preparing food, and 92 percent always wash their hands immediately after handling raw meat, poultry or fish.
Nearly 40 percent said they wash raw chicken occasionally. FSA Tip: Avoid washing raw chicken and meat as this can spread harmful bacteria to your hands, clothing, utensils and work surfaces.
Reported consumption habits
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they always check the expiration date before preparing food. Lettuce and bagged cheese are the foods that people are most likely to eat after the expiration date.
Sixty percent correctly reported that the temperature in their refrigerator should be between zero and 5 degrees Celsius (32 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit), but a fifth said it should be above 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
Just under half of those surveyed said they had checked a business's food hygiene rating in the last 12 months.
A total of 81 percent of respondents said they would reheat food only once, 10 percent twice, and 3 percent more than twice. The FSA recommends reheating food only once.
According to FSA guidelines, around six in 10 said they would eat leftovers within two days. However, 28 percent would eat them within 3 to 5 days, and 2 percent said more than 5 days.
The report said 83 percent of respondents believed the FSA could be relied upon to protect the public from food-related risks, up from 78 to 79 percent in the previous three surveys. A total of 81 percent were confident that the FSA would take action if a risk was identified, and 77 percent believed the agency was transparent with the public about food risks.
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