Providing assurances to consumer and other stakeholders about the safety, authenticity and quality of European food is of prime importance in adding value to the European Agri-food economy.

• Project Dates: January 2014 - January 2019
• Project Leader: Paul Brereton, Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) project Co-ordinator. Professor Lynn Frewer, WP7 Leader
• Staff: Professor Lynn Frewer; Dr Helen Kendall; Dr Sharron Kuznesof; Dr Mei-Yen Chan
• Sponsors: European Commission, Seventh Framework Programme, Gant agreement no: 613688
• Partners: WP 7 Partners: University of Newcastle, FiBL, Queens University Belfast and Chinese National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries

The integrity of European foods is constantly under threat from fraudulently labelled imitations that seek to exploit that added value. The FOODINTEGRITY project will directly address this issue and will be an international focal point for harmonisation and exploitation of research and technology for insuring the integrity of European food.

The objective of WP7 ‘Consumer Awareness’ is to investigate consumers attitudes and perceptions on foo authenticity and traceability of a few selected products coming from Europe (Infant formula milk, Scotch whisky and olive oil) and formulate recommendations to European companies which export food products regarding authenticity and traceability.

The case study for this WP is the Chinese market and the Chinese consumer. Specifically the WP aims to;

• identify consumer expectations, attitudes and preferences in terms of authenticity, integrity and traceability
• identify communications needs and to develop recommendations to companies exporting specific European food and drinks with respects to suitable consumer communications
• to acquire detailed knowledge about the role of European food products in the Chinese market, and the view of Chinese consumer in relation to selected European food products

Contact: Professor Lynn Frewer: 0191 208 8272, lynn.frewer@ncl.ac.uk

Homepage: https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/foodintegrity/index.cfm