Food safety is the main factor that influences the choices of consumers in Romania, when they are in front of the store shelves, informs a press release from the National Veterinary Sanitary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA), according to Agerpres.

Thus, 59% of Romanians (46% of EU citizens) declare that they are guided by their degree of safety when purchasing food. In second place is price (48% of Romanians vs. 54% of EU citizens), while taste is only the third criterion in choosing food (43% of Romanians vs. 51% of EU citizens).

„The percentage is even higher when we talk about the awareness of the importance of food safety. 71% of Romanians (70% of EU citizens) declared themselves concerned about this subject. Most of them have heard about additives in food or drinks (49% of Romanians vs 70% of EU citizens), about food poisoning caused by contamination with bacteria, viruses or parasites (49% of Romanians vs 57% of EU citizens) and about pesticide residues in food (47% of Romanians vs 65% of citizens EU), these being on par with animal diseases (47% of Romanians vs 60% of EU citizens),” the press release adds.

Approximately 6 out of 10 (63% of Romanians vs 61% of EU citizens) indicate television as the main source of information about food risks, followed by family, friends, neighbours or colleagues (50% of Romanians vs 44% of EU citizens) and Internet (27% of Romanians vs 37% of EU citizens).

At the same time, more than 8 out of 10 respondents trust physicians (81% of Romanians vs 89% of EU citizens), universities/scientists financed by public funds (77% of Romanians vs 82% of EU citizens) and farmers and primary producers (76% of Romanians vs 74% of EU citizens) for information on food risks.

„A minority of consumers would not change their behaviour in the event of a food alert (18% of Romanians vs 21% of EU citizens). Among them, the main reasons cited are: preparing food in the recommended way (34% of Romanians vs 45% among EU citizens) and the belief that all foods involve a certain number of risks and it is impossible to avoid them all (22% of Romanians vs 25% of EU citizens),” the press release reads.

The information was revealed following a Eurobarometer survey carried out by the European Food Safety Authority, between March and April 2022. Based on interviews with 1,000 Romanians (27,000 people from the EU), the research presents an image of how Europeans choose food, are aware and concerned about food safety and who they trust for information about food safety issues.

Agerpres