Food Standards Scotland research shows healthy eating remains a top concern for Scots

Food Standards Scotland has published the results from the latest wave of its ‘Food in Scotland’ Consumer Tracking Survey, showing that healthy eating is an increasingly significant concern for people in Scotland.

The survey revealed that two in five people’s top concern when it comes to food was making sure themselves and their families eat a healthy, balanced diet.  This is an increase of 8% since the start of tracking in 2015.  Nearly half (49%) also agreed that affordability is a barrier to healthy eating.

Despite more than half (58%) regarding their own diets as being healthy, nine in ten respondents indicated they were concerned about the levels of salt, sugar, fat and saturated fat found in food. 52% said they are ‘concerned a lot’ about consuming unnecessary sugar, which is an increase of 8% from the previous wave of the survey in December 2017, and the highest figure recorded to date.

The latest tracker results also show trust in Food Standards Scotland amongst those who have heard of the organisation has risen to 81%, compared to 70% in December 2015.

The ‘Food in Scotland’ survey was launched in 2015 to measure changes in attitudes and knowledge in Scotland in relation to food.