NAVITAS GROUP · 2019-05-18 · NAVITAS GROUP. ONLINE . [email protected] TELEPHON E. 0808 164 3773 ADDRESS. Executive House Avalon Way. Anstey Leicestershire. LE7 7GR. CONSUMER

NAVITAS GROUP

O N L I N E

www.navitas.eu.com

[email protected]

T EL EPH O N E

0808 164 3773

A D D R E SS

Executive House

Avalon Way

Anstey

Leicestershire

LE7 7GR

CONSUMER RESEARCH REPORT

Insight into consumer perceptions of food hygiene ratingsand pre-packed food labelling

in partnership with

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INTRODUCTION

Eating out has never been so popular. Gone are the days when people waited for a special

occasion or celebration to treat themselves to a meal at a favourite restaurant. These days we

don’t need an excuse to dine out, or dine in with a takeaway, or grab a bite at a local

sandwich shop or café. We just love to eat out. So much so, that in 2017 UK consumers spent a

massive £49 billion on food and drink purchased and consumed outside the home – and that’s

not including alcohol.

What’s actually on our plates is also starting to interest more and more of us. We want to know

what ingredients are in our food, where these ingredients came from and be confident that our

food has been stored, prepped and cooked safely and correctly – especially when we’re eating

out.

And food safety issues often hit the national headlines – most recently the tragedies resulting

from the absence of adequate information on the presence of food allergens. Local

newspapers, meanwhile, frequently publish information on restaurants, hotels, takeaways

and cafes that have failed hygiene inspections and are not producing food in a safe

environment. In fact, according to a report by consumer watchdog Which? one in five UK

eateries does not meet food hygiene standards. Ben Gardner CEO, Navitas Group

With these issues front of mind, we wanted to explore consumers’ views and perceptions of two distinct areas related to food safety. The first is around the Food Standards Agencies’ Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. We wanted to find out how aware people are of the scheme and what impact, if any, it has on their choice of restaurant, pub, cafe or takeaway.

Secondly as allergen labelling - especially on food pre-packed for direct sale - is such a hot topic within food safety, we also wanted to get a snapshot of people’s understanding of the current legislation around allergen labelling and gather views on other food allergen-related issues.

Our research findings are presented in detail in this report and will hopefully provide those in the foodservice and hospitality industries with useful and actionable insight on how a positive approach to food safety can reassure customers and help to protect a business' reputation.

1. Kantar Media 20182. 2018 Which? Report Which? assessed data submitted to the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland by 386 UK local authorities in 2015-16. It then ranked those local authority areas

based on three indicators: how many food establishments were rated for risk, how many of the medium and high-risk premises met hygiene requirements, and how many planned interventions(such as inspections or follow up actions) were actually carried out.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Our survey was conducted with 2,000 adults 18+ in the UK who have eaten in a restaurant or café and bought a takeaway or pre-packed sandwich within February 2019.

FOOD HYGIENE RATINGS

• The cleanliness of premises is one of main drivers of where people decide to eat out. 65% say this was one of the key things they look for when deciding where to eat, along with value for money (65%), quality of service (37%) and a wide menu on offer (34%). These options all rank well above décor and ambience (a factor for 18%) of speed of service (cited as important by just 10%).

• Not surprisingly the number of stars an establishment has does influence where people chose to eat. This could become even more influential should the display of ratings become mandatory in England and Scotland in the future. 27% say 3 stars (indicating that hygiene standards are generally satisfactory) is the minimum food hygiene rating a food outlet would need for them to consider eating there, 45% say 4 stars (indicating that hygiene standards are generally good) is the minimum, while 13% claim they would only eat at 5 star establishments (where hygiene standards are very good). Only 9% claim that the star rating does not affect their decision of where to eat.

• A lower than anticipated food hygiene rating would put people off an establishment almost as much as a poor food or service experience – again highlighting that ratings could become a greater factor in people’s eating out choices. 83% say they would either probably not / or definitely not go back to a restaurant they discovered had a low rating even if they had enjoyed eating there before and 37% said they would definitely not go back. By comparison, 94% say a poor service or food experience would either definitely stop them or make them consider not going back to a food outlet. Some 42% of respondents said they definitely wouldn’t go back.

• Simply not visiting a food outlet again (61%) and complaining to friends and family later (59%) are the two most frequently cited ways restaurant-goers express their dissatisfaction due to a poor experience at a restaurant. Complaining to the manager at the time was an option chosen by 54% of respondents, and complaining via social media either at the time or later was only considered an option by around a quarter of respondents.

• Not surprisingly 75% of respondents would be put off by finding out a restaurant had a food poisoning incident in the last six months, but perhaps more surprising is the quarter who feel little concern or say they were unlikely to be put off.

• While there is widespread awareness of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, there is less understanding that displaying hygiene ratings is actually voluntary in certain regions.

• Across the UK & Northern Ireland as a whole 75% of respondents are aware of the scheme. Awareness levels are highest in Northern Ireland (98%) and lowest in Scotland (53%).

• However, in England and Scotland where displaying a food hygiene rating is actually voluntary there is a lower awareness of this fact. 58% of respondents in these areas are not aware that display is actually voluntary.

• Meanwhile, 20% of people say they always check the food hygiene rating before eating in a particular establishment or buying from a takeaway, 57% sometimes check and 23% never do.

• Most people (72%) say they check the food hygiene rating of an establishment at the outlet itself – despite the fact that it is not mandatory to display a rating in England and Scotland. Indeed, 41% in England, 68% in Scotland, 76% in Wales, 76% Northern Ireland say they check with the establishment. The Food Standards Agency website (31%) and Search Engines (22%) are the next most frequently cited ways of checking a food outlet’s rating.

ALLERGEN LABELLING

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• Within our survey 27% of respondents say they look for allergen information on menus and pre-packed food when eating out of the home.

• Of those who do look out for allergen information, 53% say they would look on a label first to find this information while 24% say asking staff would be their first port of call.

• With the consequences of allergen mislabelling potentially so serious, it’s little surprise that 77% of those who look for allergy information would avoid restaurants and food outlets that had suffered a breach or failure in allergen management.

• Similarly, 86% of consumers who look for allergy information would avoid restaurants where serving and waiting staff do not appear confident about allergens in freshly produced food or where allergen information isn’t clear.

• Yet in general only 52% of those who look for allergy information believe there are different allergen labelling regulations for freshly prepared pre-packed food onsite and pre-packaged food prepared offsite, 23% believe regulations are the same and 25% are unsure.

• By way of comparison, amongst those who say they do not look out for allergy information just 30% believe there are different regulations, 18% think that regulations are the same and 55% are unsure. This is despite the recent tragedies around allergen mislabelling/inadequate allergen information and widespread news coverage.

• Asked about the information on a sandwich or food item freshly prepared and packed for direct sale 70% of those who look for allergen information say they would expect to find information on allergens listed. This is the most frequently cited option after the Best Before date (71%) and before the date prepared (65%), nutritional information (54%) and calories (50%).

• When it comes to allergen safety 83% of respondents who look out for allergen information expect kitchens to have up to date technology and systems to minimise the risk posed from allergens (68% amongst those who do not specifically seek allergen information).

FOOD HYGIENE RATINGS

1. Are you currently aware of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme? 4. If you do check the Food Hygiene Rating of a restaurant / takeaway / food outlet before eating there, where do you ever do this?

2. Were you previously aware that food outlets do not have to display their Food Hygiene Rating, and that doing so is voluntary? (Respondents in England and Scotland only)

3. Do you ever check the Food Hygiene Rating before eating in a particular restaurant or buying from a takeaway or other food outlet?

5. What do you typically look for in a restaurant or takeaway when eating out? Please select your top three answers.

75%

25%

Yes

No

58%

20%23%

57%

Yes, every time I eat somewhere Yes,

sometimes

No

1%

8%

31%

22%

72% Check it in the restaurant/takeaway/food outlet window (where displayed)

Food Standards Agency website

Search Engine

Ask staff at the restaurant/takeaway/food outlet

Other

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Cleanliness

Value for money

Décor and ambience

Wide menu on offer

Gluten free, vegetarian, vegan options

Menu with local produce / organic focus / seasonal focus

Speed of service

Quality of service - friendly, efficient, prompt

Other factors

N/A - not sure / nothing in particular

■

42%

Yes

No

6. Food Hygiene Ratings run from 0 to 5 stars as follows:

5 = hygiene standards are very good4 = hygiene standards are good3 = hygiene standards are generally satisfactory2 = some improvement is necessary 1 = major improvement is necessary 0 = urgent improvement is required

7. If you discovered a restaurant, takeaway or other food outlet you've previously visited had a low food hygiene rating, how would this affect your decision to eat there in the future?

8. How much would a poor food or service experience at a restaurant, takeaway or other food outlet put you off eating there again?

2%

1%

46%

14%

37%

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52%

6%

42%

This would stop me ever eating there again

This would make me consider never eating there again

This wouldn't stop me from eating there again

■

■

■

Thinking of eating out, what is the minimum number of stars a restaurant or takeaway would need for you to eat there? (Respondents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only)

Thinking of eating out, what is the minimum number of stars a restaurant or takeaway would need for you to eat there? (Respondents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only)

0%

1%

4%

28%

45%

13%

9%

0

1

2

3

4

5

N/A

*****

****

***

**

*

■

■

■

■

■

If a restaurant/takeaway/other food outlet had a low rating I probably wouldn't consider eating there

If a restaurant/takeaway/other food outlet had a low rating I would never consider eating there

If a restaurant/takeaway/other food outlet had a low rating I would still consider eating there

If a restaurant/takeaway/other food outlet had a low rating I would definitely still eat there

If a restaurant/takeaway/other food outlet had a low rating this wouldn't affect my food decision to eat there

9. What would you be most likely to do if you had a poor experience - either hygiene, service or food related - when eating out? Select your top three most likely responses.

10. If you knew a restaurant, takeaway or other food outlet you've previously visited has had a food poisoning incident in the last six months, how likely would this be to put you off eating there?

11. If you knew a restaurant, takeaway or other food outlet you've previously visited had not trained their staff on food safety, would you consider going again?

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Complain to the restaurant/manager at the time Tell friends and family about it later

Extremely likely

Likely

Neutral

Unlikely extremely

Unlikely

Complain via social media at the time

Nothing

Complain via social media later

Not visit again

Something else

Not sure

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ALLERGEN LABELLING

Yes

No

24%

53%

19%

5%

3. Would you ever be put off buying food from an outlet/eating in a restaurant thatdid not provide allergen information about the food it served, or whose staff did not seem confident about knowing the allergens on its menu or in its pre-packed freshly prepared onsite food items?(Respondents who look for allergen information)

4. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? 'Knowing a restaurant or food outlet had been in breach of allergen legislation within the last three months would put me off eating there' (Respondents who look for allergen information)

Yes, if they did not provide allergen information

Yes, if staff did not seem confident

Yes, if either they did not provide allergen information or if the staff did not seem confident

No

I don't know

32%

33%

20%

37%

40%

19%

3%

1%

8%

7%

1. When eating food that's been freshly prepared onsite, either a meal or a pre-packed sandwich or similar, do you ever look out for allergen information?

Ask staff

Look on a label

Check on a menu

N/A - not sure / no particular way

2. When eating food that's been freshly prepared onsite, either a meal or a pre-packed sandwich or similar where would you go first to find this allergen information/ how would you findthis information? (Respondents who look for allergen information only)

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

5. Do you think allergen labelling regulations for food prepacked offsite are any different to the regulations for food freshly prepared and pre-packed onsite for sale in the food outlet?

6. What information would you expect to find on a label on food freshly prepared pre-packed onsite for sale in that food outlet?

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Look for allergen info Do not look for allergen info

Date of best before

Date prepared

Allergens

Calories

Nutritional information

Other information

Nothing/Not sure

Vegan / vegetarian certification

Look for allergen info Do not look for allergen info

I don't know

I believe that there are NOT different allergen labelling regulations, depending on if an item is pre-packed offsite or prepared freshly and pre-packed onsite

I believe that there are different allergen labelling regulations, depending on if an item is pre-packed offsite or prepared freshly and pre-packed onsite

53%

25%

18%

23%

29%

52%

61%65%

74%71%

53%70%

48%50%

54%54%

32%42%

5%9%

4%11%

8. The Government has recently launched a consultation on amending allergen labelling on food freshly

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7. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? 'I would expect a restaurant / takeaway kitchen to have up to date technology to minimise risk posed from allergens'

29%

40%

4% 2%

Look for allergen information

Do not look for allergen information

25%

21%

22%

18%

17%

14%

6%

1%

Promote best practice around food allergens

Make it a requirement to have 'ask the staff' labels on these food items and have supporting information in restaurants

Make it a requirement to have the name of the food and allergen labelling on these foods

Make it a requirement to have full ingredient list labelling, with allergens emphasised on these foods

A combination of these options

I don't know

N/A - none of these options

Promote best practice around food allergens

Make it a requirement to have 'ask the staff' labels on these food items and have supporting information in restaurants

Make it a requirement to have the name of the food and allergen labelling on these foods

Make it a requirement to have full ingredient list labelling, with allergens emphasised on these foods

A combination of these options

I don't know

N/A - none of these options

15%

14%

16%

18%

16%

17%

4%

Do not look for allergen information

pre-packed on site for direct sale and putting forward a number of options.Which option do you think is best for consumers and still workable for restaurants and food outlets?

Look for allergen information

15%45%

38%

1% 1%■

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

■

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

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