New research released by the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), in conjunction with two food allergy charities, has shown that three-fifths of young British consumers with a food allergy or intolerance avoid eating out for fear of inflaming their condition.
The study – published in partnership with Allergy UK and the Anaphylaxis Campaign – found a disparity between the level of understanding and the level in trust in food allergen information when eating out.
More than two-thirds of respondents said they were aware of the legal requirement for food businesses in the UK to provide information on the most common allergens – but only 14% felt ‘extremely confident’ asking for allergen information in restaurants. The same proportion said they were ‘not at all confident’.
The FSA has launched a new campaign – called ‘Easy to Ask’ – to empower young people to ‘make safe choices’ when eating in restaurants.
FSA chairman Heather Hancock said: “We’ve seen real progress in how food businesses approach customers with allergies. However, 60% of the young people surveyed tell us they’ve avoided eating out in the past six months because of their condition.
“Living with a food allergy or intolerance is not easy and can have fatal consequences. Many in this age group will be students starting out at university or college, in new surroundings and with new friends. It’s crucial that they feel confident to speak up and ask for allergen information, and that the people around them make that easier.
“Food businesses have an important part to play in making this age group feel more at ease. They are required always to provide accurate allergen information. Through our easy to ASK campaign, we’re raising awareness and understanding to boost the confidence of young people, and we’re encouraging food businesses to make it easier for everyone to ask the question, speak up and help keep those at risk safe.”
The FSA claimed cited research that indicates children and young adults are more prone to die from an allergic reaction than older consumers, the implication being that they are afraid to speak up or embarrassed to tell people about their allergy.
When meeting new people, 5% of respondents in the FSA’s research reported not telling anyone about their allergy, and 11% reported not telling anyone about a food intolerance.
59% of respondents said they tended to visit the same places when eating out, 55% reported always researching the menu online before going to new or unfamiliar venues, and only 9% said they always contacted a restaurant in advance to check that allergen information is available.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024
