Credit Crunch hits people’s attitudes to green living

The third annual Food Miles study, an independent survey by the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB), reveals that while awareness of the environmental impact of buying imported foods is still improving, the increase in cost of food is beginning to affect people’s green attitudes.

The good news is that people’s awareness of the concept of Food Miles has escalated to 66% (from 59% in 2007 and just 36% in 2006), and the proportion of shoppers who regularly buy British grown fruit and vegetables continues to rise – it is now 54% (up from 50% 2007).

This new BMRB data shows that the vast majority of shoppers (86%) say they would buy more British food if it was available. However, only 43% would be prepared to pay more for it which is down from 46% in 2007.

A worrying trend is that nearly a third of shoppers (31%) believe the main reason there is not more British-produced food in the shops, is because it costs too much. This has increased from 26% in 2007.

When presented with a choice of options – the number of shoppers who thought the UK should import less food so the environment is damaged less, even if this means there is less variety in the shops and food costs more - has dropped to 57% in 2008 against a peak of 61% last year.

Over a quarter (27%) take the less environmentally friendly view that the UK should maintain or increase imports of food to maintain variety in the shops and keep costs as low as possible, even if this is more damaging to the environment. This is up from 23% last year.

Contact

Shireen Crowe, Press Office, Tel: 020 7611 6308

Steve Cooke, BMRB, Tel: 020 8433 4381

Editor's Notes

BMRB is one of the leading market research agencies in the UK and a key operating company within the Millward Brown Group which, in turn, is part of Kantar, WPP's insight, information and consultancy division. For more, visit www.bmrb.co.uk

Survey Information

961 nationally representative adults aged 16-64 completed an online questionnaire between 14-17th August 2008. Key questions were:

The Questions

Q1 Do you ever buy fresh fruit and vegetables?

Q2 How frequently do you buy fresh fruit and vegetables?

Q3 Where do you buy fresh fruit and vegetables from?

Q4 Are you concerned about which country your fruit and veg has come from?

Q5 Do you tend to buy fruit and veg that is grown in Britain?

Q6 Would you buy more British grown fruit and veg if it was available?

Q7 Would you be prepared to pay more for British grown fruit and veg that is in season?

Q8 Are you aware of the concept of ’food miles’?

Q9 Which of the following best describes you view towards importing food from abroad?

• The UK should import less food so the environment is damaged less, even if this means there is less variety in the shops and food costs more

• The UK should maintain or increase imports of food to maintain variety in the shops and keep costs as low as possible, even if this is more damaging to the environment

Q10 Some people say there is not as much British-produced food in the shops as there could be. Which of these, if any, do you think is the MAIN reason there is not more British-produced food in the shops?

• The big supermarkets do not do enough to support small British food producers

• British food costs too much

• British-produced food isn’t as good quality as foreign-produced food

• Supermarkets don’t pay the farmers enough

Online Omnibus Methodology

Respondents are sent an email invitation to complete an online questionnaire. The sample is drawn from a pre-recruited online access panel that is itself recruited from multiple sources. A detailed registration survey is completed by all panellists and the information is kept up to date to ensure that results can be analysed by accurate classifications. Panellists are selected for invitation to a survey on a random basis (with controls). Quota controls are used to ensure that the final sample is made up of the correct proportion of adults in terms of key demographics such as gender and age. The final data is also weighted to ensure that the sample profile is demographically correct. Tried and tested incentives maximise response rates. Contact with respondents is carefully managed to maximise participation without impacting on the reliability of results. The professional maintenance and management of the panel is undertaken by a specialist sister-agency of BMRB’s.

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