Farmers forced to hike food prices by 40 PERCENT

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

More than eight in 10 consumers (84 percent) have confidence in the food produced locally, first Trust in Food Index by YouGov and food standards organisation Red Tractor showed. Ireland and New Zealand maintain the highest levels of trust amongst UK consumers, followed by Sweden, Germany, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, a quarter of Britons trust food from the USA and just 11 percent trust food from China.

The survey of more than 3,500 adults revealed the confidence  in UK food is as much as water quality and NHS care, and more than the police, judicial services, and gas and electricity

Christine Tacon, the chairman of Red Tractor, said: “By far the biggest reason why people trust food here in the UK is the strength of our food standards and our independent assurance schemes.”

More than two-thirds of people (78 percent) trust food from supermarkets but only 37 percent trust takeaways and deliveries.

The low level of trust in the takeaway sector is “especially interesting” given the exponential growth of the sector during the pandemic when people hunkered down at home, Red Tractor said.

Miss Tacon added: “Crucially, the parts of the UK food industry where those standards and schemes are less visible to consumers – such as takeaways and food service businesses – have much lower levels of trust.

“More than twice as many people trust food from shops and supermarkets, where the front of pack logos and certifications are visible, than trust takeaways and deliveries, where those standards and the regulations they follow are harder to track and see.

“What that tells us is that if we want to maintain trust in UK food over the coming years, the most important thing isn’t what trade deals we sign with other countries. It’s whether we keep backing our food standards regime, led by the Food Standards Agency, and supported by the many food assurance schemes which have been established over the past twenty years.”

The public thinks less than half (45 percent) of food comes from the UK compared to the official figure of 55 percent.

The Daily Express is backing calls to support local businesses struggling in the pandemic through its Brilliantly British campaign.

Neil Parish MP, chair of the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, said: “As a nation, we take pride in our nutritious home-grown food. This report shows how high trust in our food is, and this is reflective of our farmers’ and growers’ commitment to high standards for animal welfare and the environment.

“It is important that the public’s confidence is maintained, which is why our farming sector must have the full support of the Government in upholding the highest standards while delivering affordable, healthy food.”

Source: Read Full Article