The European paradox: record food safety... and persistent concern The European Union has the most rigorous food safety system in the world. Yet the Special Eurobarometer 103.3 published this year by EFSA reveals a fascinating gap between this regulatory reality and the perception of the 26,370 citizens surveyed in the 27 Member States.
The figure that sums it all up 72% of Europeans say they are personally interested in food safety. A massive majority, to be sure. But when you scratch the surface, what really worries consumers tells a different story - that of a food industry facing a major communication challenge.
Wallet arbitrage: when price dictates food choices
Cost comes first: up 6 points in three years
The first strategic lesson for B2B players: 60% of Europeans cite cost as a decisive factor when buying food, This represents an increase of 6 percentage points since 2022. The inflationary context has clearly reshuffled the cards.
The top three purchasing criteria are as follows:
- Cost 60% (+6pp vs 2022)
- Taste 51% (stable)
- Food safety 46% (stable)
This hierarchy masks revealing geographical disparities. In Latvia and the Czech Republic, 76% of consumers put price first. Conversely, Italians (55%) and Romanians (51%) give priority to food safety - an interesting signal for the premium positioning of ingredients.
The lesson for the ingredients industry
For suppliers of functional ingredients, de prebiotics or plant-based alternatives, the message is clear: the «safety» argument is no longer enough. In a context of pressure on prices, the value proposition must include a credible economic dimension.
The winning strategies will combine :
- Optimising production costs without compromising quality
- Communication transparent value for money
- Making the most of co-benefits (nutrition, sustainability, performance)
The infernal trio of food safety concerns: pesticides, antibiotics and additives
What's really keeping Europeans awake at night
When asked to rank their concerns from a list of 15 food safety issues, three themes emerge overwhelmingly:
The podium of mistrust :
- Pesticide residues in food : 39%
- Antibiotic, hormone or steroid residues in meat : 36%
- Food additives (colourings, preservatives, flavourings): 35%
The meteoric rise of microplastics deserves a special mention: 33% of Europeans are now concerned (+4pp vs 2022), with peaks of 51% in Denmark and Finland, and 48% in the Netherlands.
European chemophobia: a structural challenge
Spontaneous mentions reveal an underlying trend: 28% of Europeans immediately cite the «presence of chemical contaminants» as the main concern - a catch-all term encompassing pesticides, heavy metals, toxins and «chemicals» in general.
This perception poses an existential challenge for the ingredients industry. How can innovation (precision fermentation, genomic editing, food nanotechnologies) be promoted in a context where the word «chemical» has become almost toxic?
Missing from the barometer: biotech and nanotech
It's a delicious paradox that the technologies that are the focus of expert debate are of little concern to the general public. Just 9% are alarmed by the use of new biotechnologies (genome editing) and 6% in food nanotechnology.
Strategic translation: these innovations suffer more from a lack of awareness than from active rejection. A window of opportunity for proactive, educational communication.
The health equation: healthy food vs. food safety
The big match: 41% of undecideds
Fascinating question from the barometer: are you more concerned about eating healthily or about food risks?
Result: 41% of Europeans say they have the same level of concern about both (-5pp vs 2022). This significant fall reflects increasing polarisation:
- 34% are more concerned about healthy eating (+3pp)
- 23% food risks (+2pp)
In the Netherlands, a champion of conscious nutrition, 67% give priority to healthy eating. Conversely, in Malta (34%) and Bulgaria (33%), food risks dominate concerns.
The 5 commandments of healthy eating according to Europeans
When people are asked about the key behaviours for a balanced diet :
- Eat more fruit and vegetables 53% (-8pp vs 2022!)
- Reducing sugars : 41%
- Limit fat : 40%
- Avoid ultra-processed foods 39% (+7pp - the rising star)
- Favouring local food : 35%
The spectacular decline in fruit and vegetables in favour of the fight against ultra-processing reveals a growing consumer maturity. Nutritional discourse is evolving from «eat this» to «avoid that» - a crucial signal for product reformulation.
Information sources: the end of the television era?
TV holds out... but loses ground
55% of Europeans still watch television as the main source of information on food safety. But the trend is clear: -6pp in three years.
The new information landscape is taking shape:
- Television 55% (-6pp)
- Interpersonal exchanges (family, friends, colleagues): 42%
- Search engines : 38%
- Social networks and blogs 26% (+4pp)
Massive generational divide: among 15-24 year-olds, social networks (48%) rival personal exchanges, while television falls to 37%. Conversely, 55+ year-olds remain glued to the small screen (65%).
Involvement in B2B communication strategies
For ingredient brands and manufacturers, the message is clear: the battle of perception is now being fought on digital platforms. Investing in content marketing, partnerships with scientific content creators and a presence on LinkedIn is becoming non-negotiable.
Trust: who do Europeans really believe?
The credibility trifecta
When it comes to finding out about food risks, Europeans put their trust overwhelmingly in :
- General practitioners and specialists 90% of confidence
- Scientists from public universities : 84%
- Consumer organisations : 82%
- Farmers and primary producers 82% (+8pp vs 2022 - remarkable)
The spectacular rise in farmers' confidence (+8pp) deserves to be highlighted. It comes against a backdrop of repeated crises (inflation, war in Ukraine, farm protests) and shows that farmers are more confident than ever. rehabilitating the image of the local producer.
The soft underbelly: institutions and industry
European and national institutions score well, but there is room for improvement:
- National authorities 70% (+4pp)
- European institutions 69% (+3pp)
The food industry, on the other hand, is finding it hard to convince: 49% confidence only (+4pp admittedly, but still a minority). Scientists in the private sector did barely better (66%).
Influencers: a non-issue (for now)
Only 22% of Europeans trust celebrities, bloggers and influencers for information on food risks. With a gulf between Croatia (50%) and Sweden (2%!).
For B2B brands tempted by influencer marketing: caution is called for. In the sensitive field of food safety, expertise is more important than brand awareness.
Regulatory awareness: do Europeans know their system?
A growing level of knowledge
79% of Europeans are aware of the existence of regulations to guarantee the safety of their food (+6pp vs 2022). An encouraging score that testifies to the relative effectiveness of institutional communication campaigns.
Other indicators of awareness :
- 76% know that the EU relies on scientists to assess risks (+6pp)
- 71% understand that the EU and national authorities work together (+6pp)
- 68% identify the existence of a dedicated institution (EFSA) (+7pp)
Portugal, Malta and Belgium have the best knowledge scores. By contrast, Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic lag significantly behind.
The under-exploited EFSA opportunity
Despite this progress, 32% of Europeans are still unaware of EFSA's existence. For an agency that orchestrates the risk assessment of 450 million citizens, this is both a failure and an opportunity.
Message to manufacturers: highlighting EFSA compliance in your B2B and B2C communications is not a detail. It is a marker of seriousness that can make all the difference in an environment of mistrust.
Case study: how would Europeans react to a health crisis?
Salmonella egg test
The barometer subjects respondents to a fictitious but realistic scenario: a case of Salmonella poisoning via eggs, with recommendations from the authorities (washing hands, thorough cooking).
78% say they would probably change their behaviour. A reassuring score that testifies to our ability to react.
Among the 78% who would change their habits :
- 47% would adopt better hygiene and cooking practices
- 44% would reduce or eliminate their egg consumption
- 41% would follow developments in the media
- 36% are looking for additional information
Resisting change: why won't 20% budge?
Among the 20% who would not change their behaviour :
- 42% believe they already prepare their food correctly
- 27% think that «all foods carry risks» and that we can't control everything
- 20% believe they can detect contamination by smell or appearance (!)
This «fatalist» faction poses questions for crisis management: how can we reach those who feel invulnerable or powerless?
5 strategic lessons for the ingredients industry
1. Integrate the price-value equation right from the R&D stage
With 60% price-driven consumers, innovations must incorporate a cost discipline right from the design stage. Differentiation can no longer be based solely on technical or nutritional performance.
2. Demystifying chemophobia through radical transparency
28% of Europeans spontaneously cite «chemical contaminants» as their main concern. This widespread fear requires brands to total transparency on processes where the ingredients come from, how they are processed and what controls are applied.
3. Riding the anti-ultra-transformation wave
The fight against ultra-processed foods is the rising nutritional trend (+7pp). For formulators : «clean label» is no longer a bonus, it's a prerequisite. Reduce the list of ingredients, favour gentle processes and communicate simplicity.
4. Capitalising on renewed confidence in farmers
The 8pp rise in confidence in primary producers offers a golden opportunity for backward integration and enhanced local sourcing. Partnerships with agricultural cooperatives can be a powerful marketing asset.
5. Massive investment in digital technology and scientific education
With the generational shift towards digital sources, B2B brands need to strengthen their editorial presence LinkedIn content, webinars, podcasts, collaborations with scientific media Expertise needs to be demonstrated, not asserted.
FAQ: 7 questions to decipher the EFSA 2025 barometer
1. What is the main food concern for Europeans in 2025?
The pesticide residues top the list of concerns (39%), followed by antibiotic/hormone residues in meat (36%) and food additives (35%). These three issues form the «infernal trio» of risk perception.
2. Does the cost of food really influence consumer choice?
Absolutely. 60% of Europeans cite price as the decisive factor (+6pp vs 2022). In some countries, such as Latvia and the Czech Republic, this figure rises to 76%. The inflationary context has clearly shifted priorities.
3. Do Europeans trust the institutions when it comes to food safety?
Yes, overall. 70% have confidence in the national authorities and 69% to the European institutions. Confidence has even risen by 3-4pp since 2022. The food industry, on the other hand, has only 49% of confidence.
4. Where do Europeans get their information about food risks?
La television remainder n°1 (55%) but down 6pp. Interpersonal exchanges (42%) and search engines (38%) are gaining ground. Among young people, social networks (48%) are already rivalling TV (37%).
5. Are Europeans aware of the EU's food safety system?
More and more. 79% are aware that there are regulations (+6pp vs 2022) and 76% that the EU relies on scientists. However, 32% are still unaware of EFSA's existence - a significant margin for improvement.
6. Are consumers worried about innovations such as genome editing?
Well, not really. Just 9% are concerned about new biotechnologies and 6% nanotechnologies. These innovations suffer more from a lack of awareness than from active rejection - a window of opportunity for proactive communication.
7. How would Europeans react to a food crisis?
78% say they would change their behaviour in the event of a health scare (such as Salmonella). Of these, 47% would adopt better hygiene practices, 44% would reduce their consumption of the product concerned, and 41% would follow the news closely.
Conclusion: navigating between perception and reality
The EFSA 2025 barometer paints a portrait of a European consumer informed but worried, rational but emotional, demanding but constrained by budget.
For B2B players in the food industry - ingredient suppliers, biotech, food-tech - this report is a strategic compass. It reveals where to invest (transparency, clean label, affordability), where to reassure (residues, additives, microplastics) and where to educate (biotechnologies, regulatory system).
European food safety is an objective success story. The challenge over the next few years? Transforming regulatory excellence into perceived confidence. A battle that will be won as much in the laboratories as on the social networks, as much through technical innovation as through education.
Reference
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
Special Eurobarometer 103.3 - Food safety in the EU
Survey conducted between March and April 2025 among 26,370 citizens in the 27 EU Member States
Published in November 2025
Reference link : EFSA Eurobarometer Reports