Food safety ranked 13th in the list of issues consumers cited as among their top concerns in the annual survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The survey helps the FSA set its priorities and focus its resources. Just under one in ten UK respondents, or nine per cent 9%) mentioning food safety as one of their top three issues of concern. This despite the attention given by regulators to improving hygiene standards in plants and the extensive media coverage of food safety outbreaks. The FSA said the discrepancy between its priorities and the public's did not reflect the issue's importance. "However, it should be noted that this does not refer to the extent to which consumers feel the issue is important, only that it is less likely to be in their top three current concerns," the FSA stated. When asked directly, 60 per cent of those interviewed claimed to be concerned over food safety issues. Crime levels topped the list, with 43 per cent of consumers citing it as among their top three concerns, followed by terrorism, health services, drugs, healthy eating, the environment, pensions, household finances, education standards, house prices, the economy and then food safety. Meanwhile trust in the FSA has increased steadily since 2001. The 2006 survey found that 61 per cent of consumers cited the FSA as an organisation they could trust, compared to 44 per cent of those who said so in 2001. The figure was 58 per cent in 2005. The number of consumers who described themselves as confident about the FSA's role in protecting health with regard to food safety has also increased. About 65 per cent said they were "very" or "fairly confident" about the FSA, compared to 50 per cent in 2000. The survey also found that 82 per cent of consumers in 2006 said they were aware of the FSA's role, compared to 58 per cent of those who said so in 2000. UK-wide, a third of consumers cited the FSA as an organisation that they would use for information on food safety and food scares. A quarter of UK consumers cited the agency as a source of healthy eating advice. More than half of consumers believe that the FSA provides clear information and advice. In terms of specific types of foods, 24 per cent said they were concerned about raw chicken, making it the top category of focus. Another 10 per cent each said they were more concerned about raw beef and raw pork. Only six per cent or less said they were concerned about cooked or processed meat, poultry or ready made meals. TNS conducted 3,513 interviews on behalf of the FSA. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with respondents between August and October 2006.
