News article, 31. May 2022

British consumers prioritise the climate and sustainability

A survey on UK consumers on behalf of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council focuses on UK consumers’ priorities. Climate and sustainability are two key factors.

The UK is Denmark’s fourth largest export market. The UK market and UK consumers are, therefore, important to the Danish food cluster for good reason. A new survey on UK consumers carried out on behalf of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council focuses on UK consumers’ priorities in their food choices. Climate and sustainability are two key factors. But what is their attitude to meat?

UK consumers are increasingly concerned about issues relating to the climate and sustainability. Over half of the UK consumers who took part in the survey are worried about pollution of the environment and nature. Some 54 per cent of UK consumers fear that rainforests will be cleared and disappear. Pollution caused by plastic and the accumulation of plastic in nature are also issues that concern 54 per cent of British consumers.

Just over half of UK consumers are also concerned about the climate, particularly global warming and the greenhouse gas effect. Some 59 per cent of UK consumers with children and 48 per cent of consumers without children stated that they are increasingly interested in eating climate-friendly food.

Danish food associated with high food quality and safety

Among UK consumers, 52 per cent answered that they do not know what characterises food from Denmark. But those who do, they associate Danish food with a high standard of food safety and high quality. When UK consumers are specifically asked about food quality and Danish food products, 66 per cent answer that Danish food is of a high or very high quality. Only Ireland scores higher on average than Denmark in terms of the non-domestic market.

Comparison in consumer trends across markets

Data has been collected on three selected export markets: Japan, Sweden and the UK.
Although different in many ways, comparisons between trends and differences in consumer eating habits and priorities can be made across the cultures. Both UK and Swedish consumers are generally concerned about climate change and take an active interest in sustainability. Meat also plays a bigger role in both markets. Plant-based diets have gained more ground in the Swedish market compared to the UK.

Facts behind the survey on the UK market

The survey is based on 2,107 interviews conducted among a representative section of the UK population (according to age, gender, region and education). The data was collected in the summer of 2021 by Wilke and Kantar on behalf of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council.